New Jersey cops shoot knife-wielding naked man after he destroyed relative's home and trapped family
Harrowing bodycam footage shows a frenzied man lunging at New Jersey police officers with a knife moments before he was gunned down.
Mohamed Bounaouar, 42, from Las Vegas was visiting relatives on February 4 when one of them phoned Fort Lee cops.
'I have a situation,' the man told the dispatcher. He said he was calling from his car in the garage as one of his relatives - described as having a 'mental illness' - was acting erratically.
'Right now, he has a knife and he's trying to cut everything he has,' the man said, adding that Bouanoaur was acting 'weird' and 'scary.'
The 42-year-old was inside the townhouse with four other people, the relative explained.
![Mohamed Bounaouar, 42, was fatally shot by New Jersey police after he charged at them with a knife](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/00/80106957-12971317-image-m-3_1705449858277.jpg)
Mohamed Bounaouar, 42, was fatally shot by New Jersey police after he charged at them with a knife
![On February 4, a relative called 911 to report that Bounaouar was acting erratically and cutting up his belongings. The 42-year-old threw objects down the stairs at police after they arrived](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/01/80107143-12971317-On_February_4_a_relative_called_911_to_report_that_Bounaouar_was-a-1_1705453533479.jpg)
On February 4, a relative called 911 to report that Bounaouar was acting erratically and cutting up his belongings. The 42-year-old threw objects down the stairs at police after they arrived
![One officer deployed his taser, but Bounaouar charged at the police wielding a knife and was shot dead](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/01/80106951-12971317-One_officer_deployed_his_taser_but_Bounaouar_charged_at_the_poli-a-2_1705453533480.jpg)
One officer deployed his taser, but Bounaouar charged at the police wielding a knife and was shot dead
Officers spoke to the people inside the home and asked them to isolate themselves in a room away from Bounaouar.
Upon arriving at the John Street condo, officers called out from the bottom of the staircase.
They attempted to negotiate with the 42-year-old as he smashed objects on the second floor and tossed items down the staircase.
All relatives managed to escape, with the exception of one who was trapped on the third floor.
Bodycam footage shows a group of officers entering the townhouse, immediately finding it in a state of disarray.
A skillet lies on the carpeted staircase and a hole appears to have been punched into the wall.
As they assess the situation, four gunshots ring out from upstairs. 'Oh s***, shots fired,' one cop says.
![According to the relative, four other people were trapped inside the house with Bounaouar. Officers managed to free three of them](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/01/80107155-12971317-According_to_the_relative_four_other_people_were_trapped_inside_-a-3_1705453533495.jpg)
According to the relative, four other people were trapped inside the house with Bounaouar. Officers managed to free three of them
![Bodycam footage shows the house in a state of disarray, with broken glass and plastic covering the floor](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/01/80107135-12971317-Bodycam_footage_shows_the_house_in_a_state_of_disarray_with_brok-a-5_1705453533502.jpg)
Bodycam footage shows the house in a state of disarray, with broken glass and plastic covering the floor
The officers head up the staircase, pointing their guns. Shards of glass and plastic litter the floor.
Passing a smashed window, they move onto the balcony to find Bounaouar lying on his back, completely naked. He clutches a large knife in his right hand, which appears to be soaked in blood.
One cop shouts at Bounaouar to drop the weapon but he stumbles to his feet, swinging wildly.
Officers open fire and the man drops to the ground.
Moments earlier the 42-year-old had been tased by another officer from a neighboring balcony.
According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Officer Emmanuel Espinal deployed a taser while Detectives John Gallo and Stephen Domenick discharged their firearms, striking Bounaouar.
Officer Espinal then deployed his taser a second time.
After hearing the shots, the officers at the bottom of the stairs climbed to the second floor and found Bounaouar on the balcony.
After the man charged at them, Officers Matthew Lyle and Gabriel Avella opened fire.
![The officers confront Bounaouar, who is completely naked, on a second-floor balcony](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/01/80106965-12971317-The_officers_confront_Bounaouar_who_is_completely_naked_on_a_sec-a-4_1705453533496.jpg)
The officers confront Bounaouar, who is completely naked, on a second-floor balcony
![According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, two officers opened fire, fatally striking the man. The shooting is being investigated as per policy](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/01/80106971-12971317-According_to_the_New_Jersey_Office_of_the_Attorney_General_two_o-a-6_1705453533547.jpg)
According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, two officers opened fire, fatally striking the man. The shooting is being investigated as per policy
Emergency care was administered but he 42-year-old was pronounced dead at around 10.39am. Authorities recovered a knife near his body.
None of his relatives were harmed, though one officer sustained an injury to his hand.
The Attorney General's Office announced that they were looking into the shooting, as per policy.
Under Attorney General Directive 2019-4, the office must conduct an investigation of any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer.
A spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office declined to provide additional information on the investigation.
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