Video Released by N.J. Attorney General Shows Woman Fatally Shot by Police

The New Jersey Attorney General released body camera videos from a fatal police shooting of Victoria Lee, a woman experiencing a mental health crisis. The videos show Lee holding a jug of water, not a knife, as officers told her to drop the weapon before shooting her. Lee’s family has criticized the police’s response as unnecessarily aggressive and stated she was not violent during previous mental health episodes. The family had made previous 911 calls for mental health assistance that were handled more effectively according to them. Lee’s family states that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was managing it through various activities before the incident. Critics have condemned the police for not adequately de-escalating the situation before using lethal force. Organizations like Stop AAPI Hate and AAPI New Jersey have also criticized the police response as unjust and unwarranted. The family’s attorney declined to comment but had viewed the body camera videos before their public release. The videos show officers demanding entry into Lee’s apartment and ultimately shooting her after entering despite her objections. Lee was pronounced dead at the hospital. The incident has sparked debate about police responses to mental health crises and the use of non-lethal methods.

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