The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office released three 911 calls, video footage from four body-worn cameras, a Taser camera video, and police radio communications related to a fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on Jan. 9 in Hillsborough.
The decedent has been identified as Joshua Mathis, 19, of Hillsborough.
The fatal shooting remains under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). The recordings are being released in response to an OPRA request and pursuant to policies established by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 that are designed to promote the fair, impartial, and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters, according to information provided by the Attorney General’s Office on Feb. 28.
Investigators met with Mathis’ family on Feb. 28 to review the recordings, according to the statement.
According to the preliminary investigation, at approximately 6:12 p.m. Jan. 9, officers of the Hillsborough Police Department responded to Corporal Langon Way after three 911 calls. Two of the 911 calls were made by Mathis.
When officers arrived, they encountered Mathis inside an apartment holding a knife. During the encounter, Mathis also took out an imitation gun from his waistband, which he threw to the floor, according to the statement.
At approximately 6:26 p.m., Mathis advanced toward the officers with the knife raised. Officer Christopher Michaels deployed his Taser at Mathis and then fired his service weapon, fatally wounding Mathis, according to the statement.
Police and emergency medical personnel rendered first aid, and Mathis was pronounced deceased at the scene at 6:51 p.m., according to the statement.
The recordings are posted online at https://njoag.app.box.com/s/yyal0s43n9hz4k2rsgdgjjxsyd92683c
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.