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| The AAPI community is demanding an investigation and justice in the death of Victoria Lee. |
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| Victoria Lee |
Lee family members called 911 on July 28 asking for assistance with a family member, Victoria Lee, who the family said was having a mental health episode and needed to be taken to the hospital.
Five officers of the Fort Lee Police Department arrived along with an ambulance. The officers encountered Victoria Lee, 25, who was wielding a knife. In the following chaos while entering the apartment, Lee was fatally shot in the chest by a single shot.
The ambulance crew took her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
"This tragedy underscored the urgent need to improve police training and response protocols for dealing with individuals facing mental health issues," said Adrian Lee, president of the Korean-American Association of New Jersey.
The fatal results of the incident pointed out the inadequacies of the response of first responders to mental health incidents. Lee’s family has called the police’s response “unnecessarily aggressive” and claim Lee was holding only the five-gallon water jug when she was shot by one officer. The other officers quickly tried to administer aide to the fatally wounded victim.
Since July 28, family and Asian American community leaders have been demonstrating since the incident. demanding justice for Victoria Lee, that incudes a review of protocol when there is a call for a mental health incident.
"The footage and recordings released by the NJ Attorney General’s Office confirm what the Lee family has already shared with the world: that in a matter of minutes, the Fort Lee Police shot and killed Victoria, who was in no way a threat to anyone, as her mother watched helplessly," said a combined statement from the API New Jersey, Korean American Association of NJ, Korean Community Center, & MinKwon Center for Community Action.
Five officers of the Fort Lee Police Department arrived along with an ambulance. The officers encountered Victoria Lee, 25, who was wielding a knife. In the following chaos while entering the apartment, Lee was fatally shot in the chest by a single shot.
FYI: To hear the 911 calls and view all of the body cam footage released by the New Jersey Attorney General, click here.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin released body cam footage Aug. 17. Camera footage revealed that when Lee was shot. It was not clear if she was she holding a knife.Her family insists she was holding only a partially-filled 5-gallon water jug.
The ambulance crew took her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
"This tragedy underscored the urgent need to improve police training and response protocols for dealing with individuals facing mental health issues," said Adrian Lee, president of the Korean-American Association of New Jersey.
The fatal results of the incident pointed out the inadequacies of the response of first responders to mental health incidents. Lee’s family has called the police’s response “unnecessarily aggressive” and claim Lee was holding only the five-gallon water jug when she was shot by one officer. The other officers quickly tried to administer aide to the fatally wounded victim.
Since July 28, family and Asian American community leaders have been demonstrating since the incident. demanding justice for Victoria Lee, that incudes a review of protocol when there is a call for a mental health incident.
"The footage and recordings released by the NJ Attorney General’s Office confirm what the Lee family has already shared with the world: that in a matter of minutes, the Fort Lee Police shot and killed Victoria, who was in no way a threat to anyone, as her mother watched helplessly," said a combined statement from the API New Jersey, Korean American Association of NJ, Korean Community Center, & MinKwon Center for Community Action.
"It can be challenging for Asian Americans to access mental health support.," the statement continued. "We are deeply concerned about the impact of this incident and other such devastating incidents on the willingness of Asian Americans to seek medical care when they need it.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.
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