A Grand Jury has determined that the New Jersey officer who fatally shot a Hispanic man driving a bulldozer in a residential area would not be charged.
The agency determined that the shooting against Joshua González, 20 years old and a resident of Millville, on December 18, 2021, was to stop the subject who was causing damage.
The verdecito comes after two different investigations to guarantee objectivity and transparency in the procedure, according to a press release from the attorney general, Matthew J. Platkin.
In the process, they managed to corroborate witness accounts, forensic evidence, footage from officers’ body cameras, and surveillance footage to reach a conclusion. It was not until August 8, 2023 that no cause was determined for the charges against Vineland Police Officer Louis Platania.
These are the research data:
- At approximately 5:00 a.m. on December 18, 2021, Vineland Troopers responded to West Park Drive to respond to a 911-reported emergency.
- Upon arrival, they ran into an individual driving an excavator in the middle of the residential complex in an “erratic” manner, hitting vehicles and residences in its path, including three patrol cars.
- Shots fired at Gonzalez at Penn Lincoln Mobile Home Park.
- The death of the Hispanic was certified at the scene by paramedics.
Watch the surveillance video here.
