A state grand jury has voted not to file any criminal charges at the conclusion of its deliberations regarding the death of Teshawn Rogers, 27, of Jersey City. Mr. Rogers died on October 21, 2025, during an encounter with Jersey City police officers.
Mr. Rogers’s death was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019, which was issued following the enactment of a state law requiring the Office of the Attorney General to investigate deaths that occur during an encounter with law enforcement.
The investigation included a review of surveillance video footage, body-worn camera footage, witness statements, medical records, and autopsy results from the medical examiner. This evidence was presented to a state grand jury. After hearing the testimony and evidence, the grand jury finished its deliberations on August 10, 2026, and voted “no bill,” meaning jurors concluded no criminal charges should be filed against any involved officers.
The fatal police encounter involved members of the Jersey City Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, a unit that consists of plainclothes officers and utilizes unmarked vehicles. According to the investigation, officers assigned to the unit encountered Mr. Rogers in the area of Bergen and Virginia avenues shortly after 1:00 a.m. As Mr. Rogers was walking northbound on Bergen Avenue, two officers in an unmarked vehicle pulled to the side of the road ahead of Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers immediately discharged a firearm and ran southbound. The officers in the first vehicle did not discharge their weapons.
A separate police vehicle containing additional members of the unit pulled to the side of the road as Mr. Rogers ran southbound. Officer Lance Jackson exited from the passenger side of that vehicle and discharged his weapon, striking Mr. Rogers. Emergency medical aid was provided before Mr. Rogers was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 1:44 a.m. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
Body-worn camera and surveillance footage, as well as radio transmissions, were previously released and are posted online at https://njoag.box.com/s/5pgcud5c4ne6wwnhmfxzvtqoguhx4lzf
N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the involved officers. The grand jury is instructed on the elements of the potential criminal offenses, including criminal homicide offenses, that could be brought and as required by statutes, the grand jury is instructed on self-defense and other forms of legal justification.
A conflicts check was conducted pursuant to the Independent Prosecutor Directive and no actual or potential conflicts of interest were found involving any individual assigned to OPIA’s investigation. Prior to presentation to the grand jury, the investigation was reviewed by an Independent Supervisory Reviewer in accordance with the policies and procedures established for these presentations.
Now that the investigation has concluded, pursuant to the Independent Prosecutor Directive and SOPs, OPIA will determine whether any officer should be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for administrative review in accordance with the AG’s Internal Affairs Policy & Procedures. OPIA will monitor any resulting review and take such actions as are necessary to ensure that the review is completed in a timely fashion, and that appropriate actions are taken based on the results of the review.
Further information about how fatal police encounters are investigated in New Jersey under the Independent Prosecutor Directive can be found at https://www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/agguide/directives/ag-Directive-2019-4.pdf
