TRENTON — The Attorney General’s Office today identified the decedent and officer involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting on July 29, 2023, in Elizabeth, N.J. The civilian who died during the encounter has been identified as Estiben Alegria-Hurtado, 42, of Elizabeth.

According to the preliminary investigation, on July 29 at approximately 7:59 a.m. members of the Elizabeth Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call pertaining to an unwanted individual at a residence on Amity Street in Elizabeth, Union County. At approximately 8:03 a.m., police were dispatched, and, at 8:04 a.m., arrived on the scene. Police encountered Mr. Hurtado. At approximately 8:05 a.m., Officer Steven Lazo of the Elizabeth Police Department discharged his firearm. Authorities recovered a knife near Mr. Algeria-Hurtado.

Officers rendered aid to Mr. Hurtado, who was then transported by emergency medical personnel to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced deceased at 11:36 p.m. Sunday, July 30.

A 2019 law, P.L. 2019, c. 1, 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 officer or officers involved.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

###