Atlantic City Cop 'Justified' In Fatally Shooting Man: ACPO

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Monday that an Atlantic City officer's use of deadly force last June was legally justified. The unnamed officer shot a knife-wielding man after getting stabbed June 22, according to the ACPO.

The ACPO also determined it wasn't necessary to present the incident to the Grand Jury, since there are no material facts in dispute regarding the lawfulness of the use of force, officials said.

The New Jersey Attorney General's Office conducted an independent review of the use of force. The OAG concurred with the ACPO's conclusion to forego presentation to the Grand Jury.

Timothy Deal, 32, of Atlantic City, died from injuries in the Trauma Unit at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. The officer was also treated there.

Two Atlantic City officers responded to a hit-and-run incident with injuries on N. Kentucky Ave. Deal, who wasn't involved in the hit-and-run, subsequently approached the officer with a knife, the ACPO said.

Two officers were wearing body cameras during the killing. Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner subsequently released footage.

"The camera footage was consistent with the information obtained from multiple witnesses who were present at the time of the shooting," the ACPO said. "These witnesses included both civilians and members of the Atlantic City Fire Department, who were present on scene addressing the needs of the earlier traffic accident."

Click here to see the body camera footage (WARNING: GRAPHIC).

The officer saw Deal pull a knife from his front right pocket and ordered him to drop the knife, the officer told the ACPO.

"The Officer stated he then fired his duty weapon, after having been stabbed, because he was in fear for his life," the ACPO said.

New Jersey's Use of Force in Self Protection law states “the use of force upon or toward another person is justifiable when the actor reasonably believes that such force is immediately necessary for the purpose of protecting himself against the use of unlawful force by such other person on the present occasion.” The law defines reasonable believe as one which would be held by a person of "ordinary prudence and intelligence situated as the actor was," the ACPO said.

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