Jury Declines To Charge Hillsborough Cop Who Fatally Shot Township Man

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — A state grand jury has voted not to file any criminal charges against a Hillsborough Police Officer who fatally shot a 19-year-old Hillsborough man holding a knife in 2022.

According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office(OAG), Hillsborough Police Officer Christopher Michaels shot Joshua Mathis inside his apartment on Corporal Langon Way on Jan. 9, 2022.

Mathis' death was investigated by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019.

The investigation included a review of 911 calls, footage from a Conducted Energy Device (“CED”) and several body-worn cameras, photographs, interviews of law enforcement and civilian witnesses, as well as autopsy results from the medical examiner.

After hearing the testimony and evidence, the grand jury finished its deliberations on Aug. 14, and voted "no bill," meaning the grand jury concluded no criminal charges should be filed against Officer Michaels.

On Jan. 9, 2022, at around 6:12 p.m., Hillsborough Police officers went to Corporal Langon Way following two 911 calls made by Mathis who said he had a gun and would kill anyone that came near him, according to the OAG. Read More: Video Shows Hillsborough Man Charging Cops With A Knife

A third 911 call made by a female resident said Mathis had a knife in his hand, according to the OAG.

Officers found Mathis inside the apartment holding a knife and told officers that if they did not shoot him he was going to charge at them in 30 seconds.

Mathis also took out an imitation gun from his waistband, which he threw to the floor.

Officers tried to verbally de-escalate the situation, however, Mathis advanced toward the officers with the knife in his hand less than 90 seconds after officers entered the apartment, according to the OAG.

Michaels used his Taser but Mathis continued to come at the officers with the knife in his hand. A separate Hillsborough officer with a ballistics shield tried to knock Mathis to the ground, but Mathis remained on his feet, according to the OAG.

Mathis was within arm’s length of a third officer swinging the knife when Michaels fired his service weapon fatally wounding Mathis, according to the OAG.

Police and emergency medical personnel rendered medical aid before Mathis was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:51 p.m.

A 2019 law, P.L. 2019, c. 1, 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 grand jury is instructed on the elements of the potential criminal offenses, including criminal homicide offenses, that could be brought and, as required by statutes, the grand jury is instructed on self-defense and other forms of legal justification.

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