Feds Review Investigation Of Fatal Police Shooting

An investigation that cleared a police officer in the fatal shooting of a 36-year-old woman at a South Jersey strip mall last year is reportedly under investigation itself.

In November, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office announced that Deptford Township Police Sgt. Kevin Clements wouldn’t be charged in the fatal shooting of LaShanda Anderson outside a Marshall’s store in the township.

A recent court filing revealed that the federal government is reviewing the investigation, which was conducted by the prosecutor’s office.

“The pending review of this matter precludes any further comment from the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at this time,” a spokesman for the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The chairperson of the Gloucester County NAACP told nj.com the organization had asked a former police officer to conduct an independent investigation of the incident, and that the officer concluded that Clements used excessive force and had placed himself in imminent danger.

Loretta Winters also said she has asked the prosecutor’s office to reveal the findings of the federal government’s investigation, according to the report.

Anderson was shot while she was driving a rented Nissan Armada at two officers in the store's parking lot, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

The officers were responding to a 911 call placed by a security guard due to a shoplifting incident at the store. The security guard said she had encountered all three people in previous incidents, and that she believed one of the three people was wanted for manslaughter. That turned out not to be true.

Anderson, 42-year-old Raoul Gadson and 38-year-old Chanel Barnes, also of Philadelphia, were attempting to leave the store with $3,433.41 worth of merchandise without paying for it. Gadson struggled with the security guard while Anderson attempted to flee the scene, according to authorities.

Clements and Deptford Township Police Capt. William Bittner each responded to the scene in separate cars.

Bittner approached the group first as they were fighting with three men in the parking lot. As he approached, Anderson left the group and got in an SUV, according to the prosecutor's office.

Before the driver's side door was closed, Bittner drew his gun and pointed it at Anderson, commanding her to get out, the prosecutor's office said. When she refused, he approached her, with his gun still drawn.

As he reached into the open driver door, Anderson started the SUV and sped off, which caused the driver's side door to hit Bittner in the shoulder, the prosecutor's office said.

After driving for 50 feet, Anderson stopped suddenly to let Barnes in. Barnes had been attempting to escape, with Clements chasing after her, according to the prosecutor's office. Gadson had already fled the scene entirely.

Bittner continued his pursuit of the SUV on foot, removing an expandable baton from his duty belt. When he closed the distance to about 10 feet, Bittner threw the baton at the SUV's rear window to either break or damage it. The rear window shattered completely. Authorities said this would make it more easily identifiable should the suspects escape.

Multiple witnesses told investigators that Clements was standing between 12 and 25 feet in front of the vehicle. He had his gun drawn, and was ordering Anderson to stop the SUV and get out.

Instead, she sped toward him, according to authorities. Clements, fearing for his life, fired three shots in rapid succession while moving toward his right to get out of the SUV's way.

The SUV then began to turn and traveled through the Marshalls parking lot in a wide arc, over a curb, and down an embankment, striking an access road that was approximately four feet below the grade of the parking lot, causing the airbag to deploy. It came to final rest on an embankment adjoining that access road.

Investigators determined the SUV was traveling between 19 mph and 22 mph for the five seconds preceding its impact with the access road. Barnes was removed from the SUV and taken to a local hospital, where she was cleared for release that same night. She was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

She was then released on bail. Gadson fled the scene, but was arrested less than a week later and charged with second-degree robbery and second-degree assault.

Anderson died as a result of two of the gunshot wounds, according to the Gloucester County Medical Examiner's Office. One gunshot wound was to the left side of Ms. Anderson's head, and the other to her right elbow.

After reviewing the prosecutor’s office’s investigation, a Grand Jury decided not to charge Clements.