The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability released on Apr. 13 footage from a police body-worn camera and a surveillance camera related to the fatal police-involved shooting of Shawn Phillips, 37, that occurred on July 29, 2025 in the West Berlin section of Berlin Township.
The release of these recordings is part of an ongoing investigation into the incident and follows policies established by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 to ensure fair and transparent investigations into deadly force by law enforcement. Representatives for Phillips’ family were given an opportunity to review the footage before it was made public.
According to information provided by investigators, two New Jersey State Police detectives assigned to the United States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force were conducting an investigation involving Phillips when they saw him standing outside a residence on Haddon Avenue. As one detective approached and ordered Phillips not to move, Phillips retrieved a firearm from his pocket. The detective then fired multiple times, striking Phillips. Medical assistance was given at the scene before he was transported by emergency services to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was pronounced dead at 2:13 p.m. A loaded revolver was recovered at the scene after the shooting.
State law requires that any death occurring during an encounter with law enforcement be investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and presented to a grand jury for possible indictment consideration against involved officers. The investigation remains ongoing with no further details available at this time.
The New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin holds statewide authority over legal enforcement matters according to its official website. The office provides oversight across all counties and municipalities in New Jersey as well as legal representation for state agencies, victim advocacy services, crime lab support, consumer protection initiatives, and regulatory functions according to its official website.
As investigations like this continue under established directives such as those outlined in the Independent Prosecutor Directive, public access to information remains central through measures including timely release of relevant recordings.
