ASBURY PARK, N.J. – The Attorney General’s Office is conducting an investigation of a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday night, August 21, 2020 in Asbury Park, N.J.A male civilian was fatally wounded.
The decedent has been identified as Hasani Best, 39, of Asbury Park.
According to the preliminary investigation, multiple officers of the Asbury Park Police Department responded shortly after 9 p.m. on August 21 to a report of a loud domestic dispute inside a two-family residence in the 900 block of 4th Avenue in Asbury Park. When police arrived, the man and woman involved in the dispute were at the residence. The woman was outside, and the man, later identified as Hasani Best, barricaded himself inside the upstairs apartment.Monmouth County sheriff’s officers arrived to assist the Asbury Park police officers.Officers tried to negotiate with Mr. Best through the door of the apartment in an effort to end the standoff.During the incident, Mr. Best opened the door at various times, revealing that he was armed with a knife.Mr. Best continued to hold the knife despite repeated requests from the police to drop the knife.Officers attempted to use a Taser, but it was not effective.Mr. Best remained armed with the knife, and at approximately 10:10 p.m., an Asbury Park officer shot and fatally wounded him.Officers and EMS rendered medical aid, and EMS transported Mr. Best to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., where he was pronounced dead at 10:31 p.m.
The investigation is being conducted by the Attorney General’s Office, pursuant to a law enacted in January 2019, P.L.2019, c.1, which requires that the Attorney General’s Office 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.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time
###