Victoria G. Lee Obituary, Death – The state Attorney General’s Office announced on Monday the identities of the woman who was shot and killed by police in a Fort Lee apartment building last week, as well as the officer involved in the incident. Victoria G. Lee, a 26-year-old resident of Fort Lee, has been confirmed as the individual who lost her life during the encounter, according to an official statement from Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
Officer Tony Pickens, Jr. of the Fort Lee Police Department is reported to have fatally shot Lee with a single round to the chest, as indicated in Platkin’s release. No further information has been disclosed by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Police shooting at The Pinnacle
The Pinnacle apartment complex in Fort Lee was the scene of the incident. On July 28, at approximately 1:25 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call made from “The Pinnacle” apartment complex on Main Street in Fort Lee. The caller reported that his sister was experiencing a mental health crisis and required hospitalization, as stated by the Attorney General’s Office.
According to the OAG, the caller indicated that “his sister was holding a knife.”
Officers engaged with the caller outside the apartment unit in the building’s hallway. Upon opening the apartment door, they encountered two women, Lee and another unidentified individual. The women then closed the door and instructed the officers not to enter, as reported by authorities.
The police subsequently forced entry into the apartment after the women failed to comply with requests to open the door, according to Platkin’s office. Lee approached the officers in the hallway, at which point Officer Pickens discharged a single shot into her chest. The OAG reported that Lee was swiftly transported to Englewood Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at approximately 1:58 a.m.
The OAG’s statement confirmed that a knife was recovered at the scene, although it did not clarify whether Lee was holding the knife while approaching the officers.
Additionally, the release did not specify whether Officer Pickens remains on active duty with the Fort Lee Police Department. The investigation into the incident is being led by the OAG.
