See The Body Camera Footage In New Brunswick Police Fatal Shooting

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Wednesday, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin released the 911 calls and footage from the police body cameras in the incident where a woman was shot and killed by New Brunswick Police on Aug. 8.

The woman killed is Deborah Terrell, 68, of New Brunswick.

Her death remains under investigation by the Attorney General.

The 911 calls and videos are available to view. Warning: Some the videos may be difficult to wach: https://njoag.box.com/s/6rwu40t0hjf61r8vzehficn6u4a6qo26

Also Wednesday, the Attorney General released a summary of the woman's death: At approximately 4 a.m. August 8, officers from the New Brunswick Police Department were dispatched to the John P. Fricano Tower at 90 Neilson Street, a public senior housing building, in response to a 911 call reporting that a woman resident, later identified as Terrell, was disturbing other residents.

Officers responded and unsuccessfully attempted to speak with Terrell, as she refused to speak with officers or open her apartment door.

Police then left.

Later, at 7:32 a.m., officers were again called to the senior building, after receiving a 911 call that Terrell was repeatedly going in and out of her apartment and threatening other tenants with a knife.

Dispatch sent officers to Terrell’s apartment a second time, and contacted emergency medical services, requesting that EMTs be positioned outside the apartment building for a potential evaluation.

Were mental health counselors also called? It remains unknown.

In 2021, Platkin and Gov. Phil Murphy launched the Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation (ARRIVE) Together, where trained mental health counselors respond with police to certain 911 calls, particularly those where the subject may be having a mental health crisis. This was meant to reduce incidences of people being killed by police. It is unknown if mental health counselors were called in this incident; the Attorney General previously refused to answer when asked this question.

At approximately 7:38 a.m., officers arrived at the apartment building and made contact with residents, who said they saw Terrell holding a large knife. Officers proceeded up an elevator and went to Terrell’s apartment.

At approximately 7:41 a.m., officers approached Terrell’s apartment door and knocked. She opened the door with a knife in her hand, said the Attorney General. After officers asked her to drop the knife, she shut the door, locked it from inside, and moved the knife back and forth underneath the bottom of the door, said the AG.

Officers asked her to reopen the door and talk to them. During a brief exchange through the door, Terrell mentioned that a man was inside the apartment with her, and officers asked if he could come to the door and speak with them. Terrell refused and then stopped talking. Officers knocked on the door and made attempts to re-establish communication. Terrell could be heard shouting inside the apartment and again moved the knife back and forth underneath the door’s gap. Terrell then opened the door and pointed the knife at officers before shutting it again, and moving the knife back and forth underneath the door a third time.

Officers then assembled on one side of the apartment door and were assigned “lethal” and “less lethal” duties. A short time later, Terrell opened the door and stepped into the hallway saying, “C’mon” while holding the knife, said the Attorney General. At that moment, one officer deployed pepper spray and another officer deployed a taser.

In response, Terrell initially turned around and backed into her apartment, but then turned back toward officers and advanced in their direction with the knife in her hand, said the Attorney General. An officer then fired his service weapon twice, striking Terrell.

Officers provided medical aid and Terrell was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was pronounced deceased. A 12-inch knife was recovered at the scene.

The identities of the police officers are not being released at this time, due to threats being made against them, said the Attorney General.

New Jersey law 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 investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time, said Platkin's office.

Members of Terrell’s family reviewed the recordings before the AG released them to the public.

First report: Woman Shot And Killed By Police In New Brunswick (Aug. 8)