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The shooting of Jalial Whitted, 37, of Pleasantville, occurred in Pleasantville, Atlantic County, on May 24, 2022.
The Office of the Attorney General requested that the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office undertake an independent investigation of the shooting.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that on May 24, 2022, Pleasantville Police received a 911 call at approximately 9:35 a.m. indicating that an individual had discharged a gun at the Dollar General store located on South New Road in Pleasantville.
At approximately 9:37 a.m., a Pleasantville Police Officer responded to the Dollar General and discovered Whitted inside the store - with a handgun protruding from his right pocket.
As additional officers arrived, Whitted walked toward the officers and refused to follow directions to stop and drop to the ground, at which time Whitted said to the officers “shoot me," the prosecutor said.
The officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by backing away and allowing Mr. Whitted to exit the store and stand on the front sidewalk. Whitted then reached for and placed his hand on the handgun in his right pocket, at which time five police officers discharged their duty firearms at him. The officers indicated that they fired to protect the lives of the nearby public, their own lives, and the lives of their fellow officers, Billhimer said.
Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office met with Whitted’s mother and showed her the recordings prior to the issuance of this press release.
The videos can be accessed at these YouTube links:
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