Aamir Allen Obituary, Death – A deadly police encounter in Woodbridge, New Jersey, has led to an official investigation following the fatal shooting of a Carteret man by a local police officer. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin announced the incident and confirmed that his office has taken over the investigation, as required by state law whenever a death occurs during an interaction with law enforcement.
The man who was fatally shot has been identified as 35-year-old Aamir Allen, a resident of Carteret. According to a preliminary report issued by the Attorney General’s Office, the incident unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, beginning around 1:00 a.m.
Police officers from the Woodbridge Police Department were dispatched to a residence on East Tappen Street, located in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge Township. The officers were responding to a 911 emergency call reporting a domestic disturbance at that location. Upon their arrival, officers found that Allen had already left the residence. He reportedly walked away from the home and proceeded eastbound on Port Reading Avenue.
Allen eventually arrived outside a convenience store in the Port Reading neighborhood. It was there that police encountered him again. During this second encounter, Allen was reportedly armed with a baseball bat. The situation escalated rapidly, and Woodbridge Police Sergeant Marco Bruno discharged his firearm, striking Allen. The specific details of what prompted the use of deadly force have not yet been released, and it remains unclear whether any attempts at de-escalation were made prior to the shooting.
Following the shooting, emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene. Allen was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for emergency treatment. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was officially pronounced dead at 9:21 a.m. on Thursday.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is now handling the case, in accordance with state law. The law mandates that the Attorney General’s Office conduct independent investigations in any incident where a person dies during an encounter with a police officer acting in their official role, or while the individual is in custody. In addition, it is required that the findings from such investigations be presented to a grand jury, which will evaluate the evidence and decide whether criminal charges against the involved officer or officers are warranted.
At this time, the Attorney General’s Office has not released further details about what transpired during the encounter outside the convenience store. There has been no public mention of whether Allen made any verbal threats, if there was body camera footage available, or if other witnesses were present during the shooting. The absence of such details is standard practice during the early stages of investigations of this nature, particularly when the incident is under review for potential legal proceedings.
Sergeant Marco Bruno, the officer identified as having fired the fatal shot, has not made any public statements, nor has his current duty status been disclosed. It is common for officers involved in shootings to be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation, though this was not confirmed in this case.
The death of Aamir Allen has raised questions and concerns in the local community, especially regarding the use of deadly force during police encounters involving individuals with potentially non-lethal weapons like baseball bats. Advocates for police accountability have frequently pointed to such situations as instances where alternative approaches might be considered, including the use of non-lethal methods or mental health crisis intervention teams.
At the same time, law enforcement representatives often stress the need to ensure officer and public safety in rapidly evolving and unpredictable situations, particularly when individuals appear to pose a threat with a weapon, regardless of whether it is a firearm.
The ongoing investigation will involve a thorough review of all available evidence, including police reports, forensic findings, body and dash camera footage if available, witness statements, and expert analysis. The grand jury will ultimately determine whether the use of force in this case was legally justified or if the officer involved should face criminal charges.
Until then, the Attorney General’s Office has stated that no additional information will be released, as the investigation remains active. This is a common protocol aimed at preserving the integrity of the investigative process and ensuring that the findings are based solely on verified facts and evidence.
In the meantime, the death of Aamir Allen remains a matter of public concern and reflection. His family, friends, and the wider community are now left to grieve while awaiting answers. As more facts come to light in the coming weeks or months, many will be watching closely to see whether the investigation results in legal consequences or further policy discussions around police conduct and use-of-force standards in New Jersey.
For now, the community of Woodbridge must cope with the aftermath of another fatal police-involved shooting, and the Attorney General’s Office will work to determine whether justice under the law has been served.