UPDATE: AG’s Office Releases Video Footage from Ongoing Investigation of a Death Following an Encounter with New Jersey State Troopers in Knowlton, N.J.

TRENTON — The Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) today released footage from police body-worn cameras, as well as radio and communication transmissions and a 911 call, capturing the events surrounding an individual’s death on February 12, 2024 following an encounter with New Jersey State Troopers. The fatal police encounter, which followed an incident in Knowlton, Warren County, New Jersey, is under investigation by OPIA. The person who died has been identified as Armond Anthony Avitable IV, 38, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

The video recordings and communications are being released pursuant to policies established by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 designed to promote the fair, impartial, and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters. Investigators previously met with representatives of Mr. Avitable’s family to review the recordings.

According to the preliminary investigation, members of the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) responded on February 12, 2024, to a 911 call received at approximately 7:51 p.m. reporting an active shooter at a residence on Columbia Street in Knowlton.

When police entered the residence, they found one female victim suffering from gunshot wounds. She was later pronounced deceased. A description of the suspect was obtained and troopers located Mr. Avitable, who matched the description of the suspect, in the vicinity of Route 46 and Interstate 80.

At approximately 8:10 p.m., NJSP Sgt. Kyle Bruno along with responding State Troopers Sarah Heitzenroeder, Justin Watts, Conner McNemar, and Connor Krueger took Mr. Avitable into custody following a struggle. While in police custody, he suffered a medical episode and became unresponsive. NJSP troopers performed lifesaving efforts, including the deployment of an automated external defibrillator, until emergency medical personnel responded to the scene to render aid. Mr. Avitable was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital — Pocono (Mount Pocono Regional) in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 8:57 p.m.

The recordings are available here: https://njoag.box.com/s/5dx6w8syy3uxa5f6z0wpohdbfsmrb7gp

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 investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

Further information about how fatal police encounters are investigated in New Jersey under the Independent Prosecutor Directive is posted on the Attorney General’s website at https://www.njoag.gov/independent-prosecutor

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