Grand jury finds no wrongdoing by officer who shot and killed a man armed with a rifle in Burlington County.
A grand jury has determined that no charges will be filed against a police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a 57-year-old man last year in Burlington County, New Jersey. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office made this announcement on Thursday, citing the circumstances surrounding the encounter that led to the shooting.
The incident occurred on October 19, 2024, when Officer Kyle McQueen of the Pemberton Township Police Department fatally shot Marvin Taylor in a wooded area behind a residence on Woodland Avenue in the Browns Mills section of the township. Body camera footage revealed that McQueen attempted to de-escalate the situation by calling out to Taylor, urging him to drop the rifle he was holding. The officer can be heard on video repeatedly ordering Taylor to surrender his weapon before shots were fired.
Witnesses and recordings indicated that Officer McQueen and other responding officers had arrived on the scene following a 911 call regarding smoke emanating from the residence. Upon their arrival, volunteer firefighters encountered Taylor, who reportedly aimed a rifle at them, prompting a retreat by the firefighters. As police began to engage, a single gunshot was observed from the backyard where Taylor was located.
For a period, police officers attempted to communicate with Taylor using a loudspeaker but received no response. During this time, law enforcement awaited the arrival of crisis negotiators and tactical specialists from the New Jersey State Police. When officers finally saw Taylor brandishing his rifle, McQueen and another officer positioned themselves strategically to assess the situation.
The confrontation escalated when Taylor fired a single shot, which was met with a response from Officer McQueen, who fired four shots in return. After the shooting, McQueen approached Taylor, and footage from the incident shows him recovering a rifle from the ground beside Taylor’s body. Taylor was rushed to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was pronounced dead that evening.
Following the incident, investigators found a black bolt-action rifle next to Taylor, along with two spent shell casings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with state authorities, also investigated an initial fire at the residence, which was determined to have been ignited using gasoline at various points inside.
This case shines a light on the complexities and challenges faced by law enforcement in high-stress situations, particularly involving firearms, and serves as a potent reminder of the ongoing discussions surrounding police use of force.
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