Four found dead after police fatally shoot armed man in Piscataway home
PISCATAWAY, NJ – A call about a knife-wielding individual turned into a multiple-death investigation Monday evening after police fatally shot an armed man and then discovered three more bodies inside a Piscataway home.
According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, officers from the Piscataway Police Department responded to a 911 call around 5:30 p.m. Monday at a residence on River Road. The caller reported that someone inside the home was armed with a knife.
When officers arrived, they encountered a man holding a knife. According to preliminary details, the officers shot and killed the man during the confrontation. After securing the scene, police searched the residence and located three additional people who were already deceased.
The identities of the four deceased individuals, as well as the officers involved in the shooting, have not yet been released. The cause and manner of death for the three individuals found inside the home are under investigation by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
As required under New Jersey law, the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability has opened a formal investigation into the police-involved shooting. Under a 2019 statute, any fatal incident involving law enforcement must be reviewed by a grand jury to determine if criminal charges are warranted.
Officials have not released further information about the relationship between the deceased individuals or the events leading up to the initial 911 call. The investigation is ongoing.
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Key Points
- A man armed with a knife was shot and killed by Piscataway police Monday evening
- Police discovered three more deceased individuals inside the same residence
- The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is investigating the police shooting under state law