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The shooting involved Newark Police Officer Alexander Ferreira and his partner on Aug. 12, around 8:35 p.m., when Ferreira and the officers spotted a Porsche Macan parked on Clinton Place near Hawthorne Avenue, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said.
Determining the vehicle was stolen, Ferreira and his partner positioned their patrol car in front of the Porsche and approached the occupant, a man sitting in the passenger seat.
The man got out of the vehicle and was handcuffed and escorted to the officers' patrol car. As police investigated further, an individual exited a nearby convenience store, entered the Porsche, and moved into the driver’s seat. The officers attempted to remove the new occupant, who ignored their commands to stop and put the car into reverse.
Officer Ferreira’s partner engaged in a struggle with the driver as the car moved backward. The partner eventually disengaged, and as the Porsche accelerated forward, Officer Ferreira fired two shots, striking the driver.
Click here for the bodycam footage.
The vehicle crashed into the officers’ patrol car before speeding across the intersection, striking a brick building and two parked vehicles.
The driver was provided medical aid on the scene and transported to University Hospital, where he was treated for life-threatening injuries. He is expected to survive, officials said.
The incident is under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). The Attorney General’s Office stated that representatives of the injured man’s family were shown the footage before its public release.
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