ATTORNEY GENERAL’S SHOOTING RESPONSE TEAM INVESTIGATES FATAL POLICE-INVOLVED SHOOTING IN LOGAN TOWNSHIP

LOGAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team is conducting an investigation into the circumstances of a fatal police-involved shooting of a man today in Logan Township, N.J.

The shooting occurred outside a UPS facility on Birch Creek Road in Logan Township.  Law enforcement officers, including members of the Gloucester County SWAT Team, responded to the facility at approximately 8:45 a.m. on reports that a man with a gun had taken two women hostage inside the facility.  According to the preliminary investigation, the shooting occurred after the gunman and hostages had exited the building.  Multiple members of law enforcement fired at the man, who was armed with a handgun.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The deceased man has been identified as William Owens, 39, of Sicklerville, N.J.  The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

In New Jersey, all investigations of police deadly force incidents are governed by the Attorney General’s Independent Prosecutor Directive, issued in 2006 and strengthened in 2015, which establishes strict procedures for conducting such investigations.  It requires the Attorney General to review all deadly force investigations, and in some cases conduct them as well. In this case, the investigation is being conducted directly by the Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team.  The Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team is investigating in this case because of the involvement of the Gloucester County SWAT Team.  The directive further provides that unless the undisputed facts indicate the use of force was justified under the law, the circumstances of the incident must ultimately be presented to a grand jury, composed of 23 civilians, for its independent review.

The Independent Prosecutor Directive is posted on the Attorney General’s website at the following link: http://www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/agguide/directives/2006-5_SRT_OIS.pdf

Further information about how officer-involved shootings are investigated in New Jersey under the directive is found at this link:

http://www.nj.gov/oag/independent-prosecutor/