TRENTON — A state grand jury has voted not to file any criminal charges at the conclusion of its deliberations regarding the death of Shamar Leggette, 41, of Brooklyn, New York, who was fatally shot in South Brunswick by members of the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force on January 24, 2024.

Mr. Leggette’s death was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and the results were presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019. In July 2021, OPIA issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure these grand jury presentations are conducted in a neutral, objective manner, with appropriate transparency regarding the process, consistent with the directive.

The investigation included witness interviews, photographs, review of surveillance video footage, and autopsy results from the medical examiner. This evidence was presented to a state grand jury. After hearing the testimony and evidence, the grand jury finished deliberating on January 6, 2025, and voted “no bill,” concluding no criminal charges should be filed against any members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force.

According to the investigation, on January 24, 2024, at approximately 2:05 p.m., members of the Task Force, assisting the New York office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrived at a motel on Route 1 South, in South Brunswick’s Monmouth Junction section, to execute an arrest warrant for two suspects being sought in connection with several felony investigations. The first suspect, Shamar Leggette, was wanted out of New York as well as Rhode Island for armed robbery. The second suspect, a female, was wanted out of Pennsylvania for drug distribution charges.

Task Force Officers positioned themselves outside the motel room where both suspects were located, identified themselves as law enforcement, and issued repeated commands over a loudspeaker ordering them to surrender. At approximately, 2:12 p.m., the female suspect exited the motel room, surrendered peacefully, and was taken into custody. At approximately 2:44 p.m., after continuing to receive no response from Mr. Leggette, one Task Force officer deployed non-lethal oleoresin capsicum (OC) canisters through the motel room’s window in an attempt to get Mr. Leggette to exit. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Leggette contacted the motel front desk and stated he was going to surrender.

At approximately 2:47 p.m., Mr. Leggette exited the motel room with a firearm in each hand and exchanged gunfire with eight Task Force members. Mr. Leggette was pronounced deceased on scene. Authorities recovered two firearms near the decedent. No officers were hit during the shooting.

Footage from surveillance cameras related to the shooting were previously released. Those recordings are posted online and can be viewed here.

A 2019 law, N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved. The grand jury is instructed on the elements of the potential criminal offenses, including criminal homicide offenses, that could be brought and, as required by statutes, the grand jury is instructed on self-defense and other forms of legal justification.

A conflicts check was conducted pursuant to the Independent Prosecutor Directive and no actual or potential conflict of interest was found involving any individual assigned to the investigation. Prior to presentation to the grand jury, the investigation was reviewed by OPIA Executive Director Drew Skinner in accordance with the policies and procedures established for these presentations in the SOPs.

At the conclusion of these investigations, pursuant to the Independent Prosecutor Directive and SOPs, OPIA determines whether any principal should be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for administrative review in accordance with the AG’s Internal Affairs Policy & Procedures. OPIA monitors any resulting review and takes such actions as are necessary to ensure that the review is completed in a timely fashion, and that appropriate actions are taken based on the results of the review.