Neighbors capture Vineland police-involved shooting on video

Bob Brooks Image
Monday, July 16, 2018
Vineland police-involved shooting captured on video
Vineland police-involved shooting captured on video: Bob Brooks reports on Action News at 5 p.m., July 16, 2018

VINELAND, N.J. (WPVI) -- There are still many questions surrounding Saturday's deadly shooting involving the Vineland Police Department.

It began when officers responded to a call about a person acting suspiciously and it ended with the suspect dead.

Investigators confirm the man who was shot was 37-year-old Rashaun Washington of Bridgeton, New Jersey.

Before police fired the fatal shots, a witness took several minutes of video on a cell phone.

In the video Washington can be seen pacing back and forth as police give him instructions, but eventually he begins to move forward.

Jose Pagan lives next door to the home where it happened, near the corner of West Wood and West Boulevard.

"The individual first came to this house right here took a seat, sat down," said Pagan.

Pagan says he's not sure yet why Washington was here.

He doesn't seem to know anyone at the house and as a result, the cops were called to remove him.

But he says Washington seemed disoriented, that he wasn't listening to orders even when a K-9 was brought to him.

"The dog is barking and he went 'rahhhh' to the dog. So they took the dog back and put him in the cage," he said

Pagan said police were trying to talk Washington down but it didn't work.

After Washington was shot he took a few steps and collapsed where a memorial now stands. But witnesses also said after Washington fell police released the K-9.

"They maced him before that and brought the dog at the same time when he was down," he said. "They making the dog bite him. They got the dog biting him up."

After the shots, we see a chaotic scene, as officers secure a perimeter from upset neighbors.

Several witnesses said Washington appeared to be unarmed.

The investigation is now in the hands of the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office. No one from the office was available for comment Monday.

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