Attorney General releases bodycam video of 25-year-old woman shot by Fort Lee police

FORT LEE, N.J. (WABC) — The Attorney General's Office released bodycam footage and audio recordings of two 911 calls related to the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old woman during an encounter with police officers in Fort Lee last month.

Fort Lee police Officer Tony Pickens Jr. shot and killed Victoria G. Lee on July 28 as she was having a mental breakdown in her family's apartment in the Pinnacle complex on Main Street.

The fatal police operation remains under investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office.

Investigators had previously met with representatives of Lee's family to review the recordings.

According to the investigation, officers from the Fort Lee Police Department responded to The Pinnacle apartment complex at approximately 1:25 a.m. on July 28 after a man called 911 to report that his sister was having a mental health crisis and asked that she be taken to Valley Hospital in Paramus.

On the first call, the dispatcher informed the caller that an ambulance and a police officer would be sent.

After the man indicated that “just the ambulance” would suffice, the dispatch center informed the caller that for the safety of emergency personnel, officers had to be dispatched to emergency calls related to mental health issues.

When he called 911 a second time, the man initially asked for the call to be terminated.

The dispatcher explained that emergency calls due to mental health issues could not be canceled and that officers would arrive shortly.

When the caller was asked by the switchboard why he wanted to end the call, the man replied that his sister had a knife.

The dispatcher confirmed that the sister was still in a bedroom of the apartment, reiterated that officers would arrive shortly, and asked if his sister was trying to cut someone with the knife or was just holding it.

The caller said, “She's just holding it,” and further described it as a “folding” knife.

Her family says her brother called an ambulance because Lee was having a manic episode and took a small pocket knife with him. Lee had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

However, the family claims that she was not violent and dropped the knife before officers broke down the apartment door.

Her family and community members said Lee was not a threat to anyone and are demanding accountability.

Upon arrival at the apartment, Officer Tony Pickens Jr. spoke with the caller in the hallway of the building.

Officer Pickens then opened the apartment door and noticed two women: the caller's sister, identified as “Ms. Lee,” and Ms. Lee's mother, who was holding a dog.

They asked the officer not to come in and to close the door.

Officer Pickens stood outside and knocked on the door. He told the women to open the door because more officers were arriving.

When the inmates did not comply, video from a police body-worn camera captured Officer Pickens speaking through the door and stating that he had to break the door down.

Lee can be heard saying on camera: “Go on, I'll stab you in the (expletive) neck.”

After a discussion about which officers would be assigned “lethal” and “less lethal” tasks, a video shows the officers breaking down the door.

After officers break down the door, footage shows Lee approaching officers in the hallway. Officers shout, “Drop the knife,” and then Officer Pickens fires a single shot, striking Lee in the chest.

The officers provided immediate medical assistance.

Lee was taken to Englewood Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before 2 a.m.

A knife was seized at the crime scene.

The family had been asking to see the bodycam video for weeks. After reviewing the video on Friday, their attorney issued a statement on their behalf.

“The body cam was released this morning and they are currently preparing a statement to be released on Monday. The video is devastating and everything matches the family's statement from last week,” the statement said.

Lee's family claims she was not armed and was holding a plastic water jug ​​when she was shot.

While the family is unwilling to talk, community activists say police made no effort to assess or de-escalate the situation after opening the door.

They are now urging the New Jersey Attorney General's Office to be thorough in its investigation.

AAPI New Jersey, Korean American Association of New Jersey, Korean Community Center, & MinKwon Center for Community Action also released a joint statement following the release of the bodycam footage:

“Victoria Lee should still be alive today. The footage released by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office confirms what the Lee family has already shared with the world: that Fort Lee police shot and killed Victoria within minutes while her mother watched helplessly. Words cannot describe our grief and anger. Victoria was killed on July 28, and as of this morning, the Fort Lee community had received no assurances that the police officer who killed her was not still patrolling its streets.

We continue to call on the New Jersey Attorney General's Office to fully investigate this incident and follow all evidence. The perpetrator and all those involved must be held accountable.

In addition, we call for a thorough review of the Fort Lee Police Department's procedures and practices. This horrific incident, which touches the lives of all New Jerseyans, is of great concern. We continue to call for a comprehensive review of all protocols and practices of the systems that led to this tragic outcome, from 911 response to officer training in crisis intervention and beyond, in Fort Lee and across the state.

While investigations are ongoing, our governor and legislators must immediately do everything in their power to ensure that anyone who needs mental health care can safely access it. This includes fully implementing the Seabrooks-Washington Act, which would empower community response to these crises. Communities need more support, not more law enforcement.

And finally, to our community: We are here to support you, and we invite you to be part of the broader effort to create justice for all. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in New Jersey who need support can contact us for free, short-term care from an AAPI mental health professional in English or Korean. Please contact [email protected] if you need help or would like to get involved.”

The investigation is ongoing, but no further information has been released yet.

———-

* Get Eyewitness News

* More news from New Jersey

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news

* Follow us on YouTube

Send a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or story idea we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. When attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.