Officials: Police shoot woman in crisis to death at NJ apartment

🔴 Police called to apartment for a woman with a knife

🔴 Brother told dispatcher she was experiencing a mental health crisis, officials say

🔴 Cops were blocked from entering home

FORT LEE — Authorities are investigating an early morning fatal police shooting in North Jersey.

Police were called around 1:30 a.m. Sunday to The Pinnacle apartment complex on Main Street, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

The man who called 911 said to the dispatcher that his sister was in the midst of a mental health crisis, authorities said.

She had a knife and needed to go to the hospital, the man said on the phone.

The brother met a police officer at the apartment in the hallway outside his unit, authorities said.

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After a brief conversation, the police officer opened the door to the unit and saw two women inside. One was the man’s sister and authorities did not reveal who the other woman was.

Both women said to stay out of the apartment and then closed the door on the officer, authorities said.

The cop repeatedly knocked on the door and requested the women open it. Once other police officers arrived at the scene, they breached the door.

The caller’s sister then “approached the officers in the hallway” and one officer fired their gun once, according to authorities.

The shot hit the woman in the chest. She was hospitalized and then declared dead shortly before 2 p.m.

There was a knife at the scene, according to officials.

The OAG is investigating the fatal police shooting. Every death that occurs during an encounter with law enforcement must be investigated by the agency under New Jersey state law.

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