19-Year-Old Knife-Wielding Man Fatally Shot By Hillsborough Police ID'd

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — A knife-wielding Hillsborough man, who was fatally shot by police inside his Hillsborough apartment on Sunday has been identified.

Joshua Mathis, 19, who lived on Corporal Langon Way was identified as the fatal victim, according to the Attorney General's Office, who is investigating the shooting.

On Jan. 9 at around 6:26 p.m., Hillsborough police went to the apartment in response to a 911 call reporting a man inside with a gun, authorities said.

Police found Mathis holding a large knife who then advanced toward the officers with the knife, authorities said.

One officer fired his service gun hitting Mathis. Officers and emergency medical personnel rendered first aid to Mathis, and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:51 p.m., authorities said.

The officer who discharged his weapon has been identified as Officer Christopher Michaels of the Hillsborough Police Department.

This investigation is being conducted pursuant to Attorney General Directive 2019-4, which implements the statutory requirement that the Attorney General’s Office conduct the investigation of any 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, and which establishes clear standards and procedures for conducting such investigations.

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

The Attorney General's Office previously investigated another fatal police-involved shooting in Hillsborough when a township man was killed on Sept. 28, 2021. Read More: Hillsborough Man Dies In Police-Involved Shooting

• More: Sword-Wielding Man Fatally Shot By Hillsborough Police ID'D

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