Rally To Be Held In Memory Of Hasbrouck Heights Man

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ — A rally and march will be held where a borough man was shot in Pennsylvania last year during an encounter with police.

Joseph Santos, 44, died after he was shot during an encounter with police across the street from Dorney Park July 28, 2018.

Members of Make The Road PA and other community groups will gather at the spot where Santos was shot to remember his life and "revive the call" to convict the man accused of killing him, South Whitehall Police Officer Jonathan Robert Roselle.

"The Roselle trial will begin in late September, and the community will stand in solidarity with Joey’s family as they mourn his loss and demand justice," Ashleigh Strange, a spokesperson for Make The Road PA, said in a statement.

Roselle, 33, was charged with voluntary manslaughter after he fatally shot Joseph Santos, 44, near the 3700 block of Hamilton Boulevard across from Dorney Park, said Leigh County District Attorney James Martin said a few days after Santos died.

Martin previously said Santos was "acting irrationally" before he was shot.

Several people called 911 after they allegedly observed Santos jumping onto cars. Authorities previously said that Santos ripped a window off a woman's vehicle and then jumped on the hood of another, authorities previously said.

When Roselle encountered him, Santos walked toward him. Santos did not have anything visible in his hands and "did not present a threatening posture," Martin previously said.

Santos can be heard on video saying to Roselle, who had his gun unholstered and pointed at Santos "don't do it," Martin said.

Roselle was not at risk of any serious bodily injury or death and Santos had no deadly weapons on him, Martin said.

Roselle had the option to engage Santos physically and had a taser, pepper spray, and baton on him, all of which were functioning, Martin said.

Santos being shot was an "unreasonable decision" by a "relatively inexperienced officer," Martin said.

Related:

• Cop Charged With Manslaughter In Hasbrouck Heights Man's Death
• Video Shows What Led To NJ Man's Fatal Death-By-Cop Near Dorney
  
• Hasbrouck Heights Man Fatally Shot By Cops Near Dorney Park

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com