Footage Of Fatal Police Shooting In Haddon Twp. Released By AG

HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ — Body-camera footage from a deadly police shooting in Haddon Township was released on Friday, showing events that unfolded before authorities say an officer shot a knife-wielding man in an apartment building.

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has been investigating the police shooting, which occurred Nov. 3 inside an apartment building on West Crystal Lake Avenue.

Haddon Township Police Officer Luke Falkenberg shot Keith Edelin, who was carrying a knife, the OAG said days after the incident.

Related coverage:

• Officer Kills Man Armed With Knife While Investigating Burglary: Authorities
• Officer, Man Killed By Haddon Twp. Police ID'd By State Investigators

Just after 1 a.m. Nov. 3, a resident called 911 to report an attempted burglary in progress. A "strange man" had just opened the victim's apartment door, according to the 911 call recording, which investigators also shared.

The resident told the dispatcher that they locked the apartment door and no longer knew where the suspect was.

Haddon Township Police responded to the incident, which led to the shooting. Investigators released a 7-minute video from an officer who accompanied Falkenberg during the deadly encounter.

Several officers are shown entering the apartment building. Falkenberg and another officer go up an elevator as their colleagues head to different locations at the scene. Police saw blood in the lobby and inside the elevator, the OAG said.

Falkenberg and the other officer exited the elevator and walked through a hallway, where they also found blood. The OAG has not released information on what caused the blood to spill.

The two officers then entered a stairwell and found Edelin, 46, of Pennsauken, at the top of the landing. In the video, both officers drew their guns and repeatedly ordered Edelin to drop the knife and asked him what was wrong.

Falkenberg was positioned slightly ahead of the other officer, who the OAG did not identify.

Edelin repeatedly declined to drop the knife or tell police what was wrong. At one point, he told the officers he doesn't play games.

Falkenberg once again asked what was wrong and introduced himself by first name.

"Did someone attack you?" Falkenberg asked.

Edelin said something inaudible before both officers repeatedly shouted "drop the knife."

Edelin first appears on camera at this point — about 4 minutes, 45 seconds into the video. He is shown standing atop the stairwell.

"Come on, man, drop the knife," Falkenberg said. "I want to help you. I don’t feel comfortable with you having the knife if your hand."

Edelin is then shown walking down the stairs with the knife pointed toward Falkenberg. The officers urged him to drop the knife once more before before Falkenberg fired three rounds and shot him.

The officers moved Edelin off the stairs and began rendering aid before the video ends. Edelin was brought to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later. No officers were injured during the incident.

The knife was recovered from the scene, the OAG said.

Per state law, the OAG must investigate all deaths that occur during encounters with law enforcement. A grand jury will review the findings and determined whether any officers should be indicted.

The OAG released body-camera footage and audio of the 911 call as part of the investigation into Edelin's death. Edelin's family was given the opportunity to review the recordings before they were publicly released.

Both recordings are available here. Viewer discretion is advised.