Newly-released dash-cam footage shows the moment a white New Jersey state trooper shot a 28-year-old black man six times during a traffic stop last month.
Maurice Gordon, of Poughkeepsie, New York, was pulled over by Sergeant Randall Wetzel for speeding on the Garden State Parkway near Bass River just before 6.30am on May 23.
Footage of the stop has shed light on the events leading up to Gordon’s death, which is now under investigation by the Attorney General’s office.
Police dash cam footage released by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewa shows the moments leading up to Maurice Gordon’s (pictured) death
Gordon, 28, from Poughkeepsie, was pulled over by Sergeant Randall Wetzel (left) for speeding on the Garden State Parkway around 6.30am on May 23
After Gordon explains his car is dead, Wetzel is seen leading him into the police cruiser to wait for a tow truck
It comes amid nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, who died after a white Minneapolis cop held him down by his neck for nearly nine minutes on Memorial Day.
The attorney for Gordon’s family, William O. Wagstaff III, said in a phone interview he thought race was a factor in Gordon’s death.
‘If Maurice Gordon was a white male he’d still be alive,’ Wagstaff said.
Before the shooting, Gordon pulled over on the left side of the road, and Wetzel can be heard telling him it was not a safe spot and he should move his vehicle over more.
Gordon is heard saying his car won’t start, and he tried unsuccessfully to turn the motor.
Wetzel then asked Gordon if he wanted to wait for a tow truck in his police car. Instead of walking toward the car, Gordon began to walk toward the highway.
The trooper guided Gordon a few times away from the highway and to the back of the police car.
Wetzel told Gordon he needed to pat him down, and then Gordon sat in the back of the vehicle without handcuffs.
Wetzel asked Gordon a series of questions, including where he was going. His responses were difficult to hear from the video.
But Wetzel can be heard confirming that Gordon wanted to go buy a new car, leading the trooper to tell him he cannot given the time of day and the COVID-19 outbreak.
The pair’s interaction is generally peaceful, before Gordon suddenly undoes his seatbelt and exits the car
Wetzel is later heard off screen telling Gordon to return to the car before gun shots ring out
The trooper then asked again where Gordon was going, and can be heard confirming a response that is inaudible in the video: Atlantic City.
Wetzel asked why Gordon was going so fast, but Gordon did not answer.
Wetzel offered to give Gordon a ride and call a tow truck, and again Gordon’s responses were difficult to hear.
‘I still don’t know why you were speeding. Why were you going that fast?’ Wetzel asked. ‘You in a hurry to get to Atlantic City?’
Gordon nodded.
‘I’m just trying to communicate with you to understand everything,’ Wetzel said. ‘I’m trying to help you out. Your car died.’
After roughly 20 minutes from the start of the traffic stop, Wetzel asked Gordon if he wanted a face mask.
‘You want a mask like this to wear? Yeah? Do you have one in your car or no,’ the trooper asked.
Gordon then released his seat belt and opened the car door, getting out of the police vehicle.
Wetzel was off camera but can be heard using an expletive telling Gordon to return to the car.
Gordon returned to close the door and appeared to walk to the driver’s side of the vehicle in an attempt to get in.
‘Get out of the car!’ Wetzel yelled.
The men were off screen when the trooper called for another unit, and scuffling sounds could be heard before gunfire.
Another official arrived minutes after the shooting, and Wetzel told him what happened, including firing pepper spray at Gordon. The pepper spray was not visible in the video.
‘He was in my car, went to give him a mask. He tried getting out of my car. We got in a fight on the side of the road. He tried running into my car. I got him out, sprayed him. We got in a fight again. He ran away from me, tried to hop in my trooper car, grab my gun. We were fighting with my gun and I shot him. He was already cuffed,’ Wetzel said.
It’s unclear when Gordon was handcuffed by the officer.
New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said no other information will be released at this time.