The Bergen County prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into the police-involved shooting of an escaped assault suspect in Garfield, N.J., Saturday.
Malik Williams, 19, was shot multiple times by police officers who found him hiding in a garage Saturday afternoon and was brought to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the prosecutor's office.
Earlier that afternoon, Williams turned himself into Garfield Police for an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, according to authorities.
As he was being processed, Williams ran out of the room and out the back door of the police department, the prosecutor's office said. Officers ran after Williams and pursued him in a chase.
Garfield police briefly lost sight of Williams for a period of time and requested assistance from Bergen County police, said officials. With the help of a canine unit, police located Williams at a private garage on Dahnerts Park Lane.
Police tried to get through a side door to the garage, but found it barricaded shut, said authorities. When they tried the bay door, they found Williams armed with tools, presumably gathered from the garage.
Police officers fired at Williams, striking him several times, prosecutors said.
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He was found behind numerous objects, where it appeared he had been hiding for a brief period of time, said officials.
Police officers conducted emergency CPR on Williams until medics arrived and transported him to the hospital, said authorities.
The prosecutor's office said two police officers are believed to have fired at Williams, one a Garfield police officer and the other a Bergen County police officer.
The investigation is ongoing.
