Grand jury declines charges in fatal 2025 encounter
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced on Aug. 11 that a state grand jury voted not to file criminal charges against any Jersey City police officers in the Oct. 21, 2025, shooting death of 27-year-old Teshawn Rogers.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), which handles investigations of police-involved shootings in the state, led the inquiry. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, body-worn camera recordings, witness statements, medical records and autopsy results from the medical examiner before presenting evidence and testimony to the grand jury.
What the investigation found
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Rogers was walking northbound near the intersection of Bergen and Virginia avenues shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2025, when two Jersey City Police Department Street Crimes Unit officers in an unmarked vehicle pulled up to the side of the road ahead of him. The state investigation says Rogers immediately discharged a firearm and ran southbound. The officers in that first vehicle did not fire their weapons.
A second unmarked vehicle carrying other members of the Street Crimes Unit then pulled to the side of the road as Rogers ran. Officer Lance Jackson exited from the passenger side of that car and discharged his weapon, striking Rogers. Emergency medical aid was provided, and Rogers was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 1:44 a.m. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
- Oct. 21, 2025 — Encounter occurs on Bergen Avenue shortly after 1 a.m.; Rogers is shot and later pronounced dead at 1:44 a.m.
- Investigation — OPIA reviewed video, body-worn camera footage, witness statements, medical records and autopsy findings.
- Aug. 10–11, 2026 — Evidence presented to a state grand jury, which voted not to file criminal charges.
Responses and next steps
Rogers’ grandmother, Darshell Robinson, told local media after his death that he had returned to Jersey City from Texas for a brief visit. Then-Mayor Steven Fulop publicly defended the officers involved, saying they perceived Rogers to be acting suspiciously and reported seeing a bulge in his clothing.
“They saw Rogers acting suspiciously and a bulge in his clothing.”
With the criminal-investigation phase concluded, OPIA will decide whether any administrative steps are warranted within the police department, as is typical after such reviews. The Attorney General’s Office oversees the independent probe into police-involved shootings under state procedures, and presenting the matter to a grand jury is part of determining whether criminal charges are warranted.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Victim | Teshawn Rogers, 27 |
| Date/time of incident | Oct. 21, 2025, shortly after 1 a.m.; pronounced dead ~1:44 a.m. |
| Investigating office | Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), NJ Attorney General’s Office |
| Grand jury action | No criminal charges filed (grand jury vote Aug. 10, announced Aug. 11) |
The decision not to file charges ends the criminal-prosecution avenue in the case but is often not the final word in matters that involve police use of force. Community members and advocates sometimes press for independent audits, policy changes, or departmental discipline even when criminal charges are not pursued. Local officials and law enforcement agencies may still face questions about tactics, training and how encounters are handled, especially given that the incident involved members of the Street Crimes Unit operating in unmarked vehicles during the early-morning hours.
As the community processes the grand jury’s finding, Jersey City residents and leaders will likely continue to monitor whether the department pursues administrative reviews or adopts changes recommended by oversight entities. The Attorney General’s announcement provides the factual basis that was presented to the grand jury, but it does not foreclose further local or civil actions that family or other parties might choose to pursue.
This office will continue to follow developments and report on any administrative findings, departmental responses or community reactions in the wake of the grand jury decision.
