The Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is investigating the death of a civilian following a March 10 encounter with law enforcement in Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, according to a March 20 statement. Steven Fitzpatrick, 61, of Pittstown, New Jersey, died after an incident involving officers from the Franklin Township Police Department and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities said Officer Tyler Sutton responded to a property on Locust Grove Road after a 911 caller reported that a family member had left following a dispute and threatened to return with a firearm. While speaking with the caller at approximately 10:07 a.m., Sutton saw Fitzpatrick drive onto the property. The officer approached Fitzpatrick’s vehicle and ordered him out so he could be detained and searched for weapons. Officers Mitchell Molina and Detective John Laurencelle arrived to assist. During handcuffing, Fitzpatrick suffered an apparent medical episode. Officers provided medical aid until emergency personnel arrived and transported him to Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, where he was pronounced dead on March 15.
The Attorney General’s Office said the circumstances surrounding the encounter as well as the cause and manner of death remain under investigation. No further information has been released at this time.
State law requires that any death occurring during an encounter with law enforcement or while in custody must be investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and presented to a grand jury for review regarding possible indictment of involved officers.
The New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin aims to protect residents’ lives and property, uphold legal standards, and deliver statewide enforcement and legal support according to the official website. The office extends its services throughout all counties and municipalities in New Jersey according to the official website, influencing public safety through law enforcement oversight according to the official website. It holds authority to enforce laws, prosecute offenses, regulate public safety matters according to the official website, offers state legal representation, crime lab support, victim advocacy, consumer protection initiatives according to the official website, and functions as an agency focused on justice across New Jersey according to the official website.