NJ releases video, names cops in April 26 shooting in Wayne

For the second day in a row, state prosecutors have released video and audio recordings of a recent fatal police shooting on a roadway.

Video released Tuesday shows the April 26 shooting of 48-year-old Queens man Bradley G. Pullman, who led police on a chase through three North Jersey municipalities.

The videos show what appears to be Pullman opening his car door after stopping in the middle of a highway interchange in Wayne and aiming a handgun at police. Four of the officers at the scene open fire, knocking holes through the car’s rear window.

Tuesday’s multimedia release comes a day after state officials made public numerous video and audio recordings of a May 23 shooting of 23-year-old Poughkeepsie man Maurice Gordon on the Garden State Parkway.

In both cases, the Attorney General’s Office identified the involved officers by name, a departure from past practice of law enforcement and prosecutors in the state who refused to name officers involved in use-of-force incidents unless they were charged with a crime.

The information released by the Attorney General Gurbir Grewal's Office comes a week after Grewal announced measures designed to improve police accountability and transparency amid a nationwide furor over recent police killings of black suspects and individuals.

State prosecutors said the facts of each case will be presented to a grand jury to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

WARNING: The video below contains gun violence and death

In the April 26 case, officials said that Mountain Lakes officer saw Pullman’s Lexus make an illegal U-Turn on the median of Route 4zA6 about 4:30 p.m.

The marked police vehicle tried to pull over the Lexus, which continued driving through Fairfield, officials said. Police vehicles finally surrounded the Lexus and slowed it to a stop at fork for Route 23 and Interstate 80.

Video from vehicles behind the Lexus show the driver’s door swing open and what appears to be a handgun pointing out.

State prosecutors said it appeared that Pullman was aiming at a Mountain Lakes police vehicle that had stopped to the left of the Lexus. The Lexus rolls backward as Fairfield police Sgt. Frank Tracey, Officer James Ciampi, and Officer Kevin Chen and Wayne police Lt. Robert Franco pump dozens of rounds into the sedan.

Pullman was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:01 p.m.

Investigators said a loaded Cobra .380 pistol was found in the car near the driver’s seat.