WEST BERLIN, N.J.—The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released body camera and surveillance footage from the July 2025, fatal shooting of a West Berlin man by a State Police detective. The release brings new public visibility to a case that remains under active investigation nearly eight months later.
The footage, released April 13 by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), shows the encounter that led to the death of Shawn Phillips, 37, of West Berlin, outside a residence on Haddon Avenue in Berlin Township. According to the Attorney General’s Office, two New Jersey State Police detectives assigned to the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force were conducting an investigation involving Phillips when they observed him standing on the front steps of the home.
One detective approached from around the corner and ordered Phillips not to move. Authorities say Phillips then reached into his right front pocket and retrieved a firearm. The detective fired multiple rounds, striking him. Phillips was transported to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was pronounced dead at 2:13 p.m. A revolver loaded with live rounds was recovered at the scene, according to investigators.
Footage Captures Seconds-Long Encounter
The released video shows a brief and rapidly unfolding interaction, with only seconds passing between the officer’s command and the shooting.
The footage captures the approach, verbal commands, and the moment Phillips moves his hand toward his pocket before shots are fired. The recordings are presented without narration or conclusions and form part of the evidence under review. The videos have been made publicly available through the Attorney General’s Office. Representatives of Phillips’ family were permitted to review the footage prior to its release.
Eight-Month Gap Before Video Release
The release comes more than eight months after the shooting, a timeline that reflects New Jersey’s structured process for reviewing fatal police encounters. Under state policy, footage is not released immediately but after an initial phase of investigation, evidence collection, and family notification. Officials have not publicly explained the specific timing in this case.
The release of video evidence typically marks a more public phase of these investigations, though it does not indicate that the review is nearing completion. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and declined to release additional details.
Case Heads to Grand Jury as Key Questions Remain
The case remains under investigation by OPIA, which oversees all fatal police encounters in New Jersey. State law requires the Attorney General’s Office to supersede local prosecutors and present evidence to a grand jury to determine whether criminal charges are warranted. No findings, disciplinary actions, or charging decisions have been announced.
Officials have released limited details about the underlying investigation that led officers to Phillips, including the nature of the case or whether a warrant had been issued. Authorities have also not provided additional information about witness accounts or other evidence collected as part of the review.
Sources
• New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, “UPDATE: Attorney General’s Office Releases Video Footage from July 29, 2025 Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in West Berlin, N.J.” (April 13, 2026)
• New Jersey Attorney General Directive 2019-4 (Independent Prosecutor Directive)
• N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107 (Fatal police encounter investigations)