Demonstrators in Trenton chanted the name of Maurice Gordon Jr. on Saturday – the 28-year-old who was shot and killed by a New Jersey State Trooper on the morning of May 23 on the Garden State Parkway.
Police encountered Gordon several times within a few hours on the Parkway – twice for car troubles and twice for speeding. The state attorney general released police dash cam footage from the encounter. It shows a struggle between Gordon and Sgt. Randall Wetzel, as Gordon twice attempted to get in driver's seat of the officer's car.
Wetzel used pepper spray, they wrestled, then authorities say Wetzel fired six times, killing Gordon Jr.
The union representing Sgt. Wetzel says the situation escalated only after Gordon tried to grab the trooper's gun – not because of police aggression.
Gordon's family and demonstrators are demanding a full and transparent investigation by the state. They want the state medical examiner’s report to become public, all the dash cam footage including video from every responding officer released, and an examination of what transpired after Gordon was shot. They believe no CPR was administered to Gordon Jr. after the shooting.
Gordon's mother, sister and family attorney addressed the crowd on Saturday. His sister Yanique Gordon says she first watched the police dash cam footage showing her brother's final encounter with police on YouTube.
"To see his last moments like that, it breaks my heart every single day," she said.
Maurice Gordon's family plans to get a second independent autopsy once the state releases the medical examiner's report.
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