As dark clouds loomed over Hudson Lights Park in Fort Lee, family, friends, and allies of Victoria Lee confronted a dark reality: a state grand jury decided not to indict the officer who shot and killed her during a mental health crisis nearly one year ago.
Victoria Lee’s father, Kyung Lee, dabbed his eyes with a tissue as the rally began, supported by dozens of people holding signs expressing their disappointment with the recent decision.
“For a year, we have hoped to see the officer who killed my daughter, Tony Pickens Jr., stand before the law,” said Mr. Lee. “This week we were devastated to be told that this would not happen.”
According to a press release shared by the Office of the Attorney General, the grand jury voted not to file any criminal charges against Officer Pickens after being presented with audio from 911 calls, video footage from body cameras, civilian and law enforcement interviews, pictures, ballistics reports, and autopsy results.
On the night of her death, “we called for help for my daughter and instead, within minutes, police broke down the door and shot her. We still can’t understand why asking for help and following police officers’ instructions brought us my daughter’s death instead,” said Mr. Lee. “My wife and my son had a chance to witness what they saw and heard that night; however, we have no idea what the grand jury saw or how it was presented. It is impossible for us to believe that our daughter’s’ killing received the presentation owed to her young life.” The Lee family has major concerns about not being a part of the grand jury process, including not being given an opportunity to share their own testimony.
Mr. Lee shared that his daughter didn’t have any history of violence or previous issues with the law. His family is now pursuing alternative options and calling for Fort Lee to take administrative action against the officers who responded to the call the night of Victoria’s killing.
Such demands were echoed by a number of allied organizations present at the rally, including Black Lives Matter Paterson, Stop AAPI Hate, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Korean American Civic Empowerment.
Zellie Thomas of Black Lives Matter Paterson, highlighted the vulnerabilities people of color face when confronted by police during mental health episodes. Lee’s death has reinvigorated the call for alternative crisis response services like MCORTS or mobile crisis outreach response teams, which consist of mental health professionals trained to deescalate situations and collaborate with loved ones during a crisis.
“Instead of deescalating the situation, [police]escalate it,” said Thomas. “We’re here to stand today and make it really clear that we need justice for Victoria Lee, justice for Andrew Washington, justice for Najee Seabrooks, and everybody else who was harmed and killed by police, who only wanted support and only needed care in that vulnerable moment of crisis.”
Kenny Nguyen of Stop AAPI Hate said the non-indictment sends a dangerous message and called Lee’s death an unjust murder.
“When API community members call for help, they risk being met with police violence. Those responsible won’t be held accountable,” said Nguyen. “People struggling with mental health deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and care. We demand justice and accountability for Victoria, for her family, and all of those failed by a system that should’ve protected them.”
Supporters could be seen holding signs that read, “Mental Health Crisis is Not a Crime,” “Mental Health Crisis Response Should not be Lethal,” and “I Struggle with Mental Health #BreakTheStigma,” as allies shared their own personal struggles with mental health.
“Asian Americans are already less likely to seek support from friends and family in the face of distressing life circumstances, with similar findings for other people of color as well,” said Stuart Sia of AALDEF. “How can we even begin to address the mental health of our communities when we have a system that kills the ones who call for help?”
He called for the state to fund 988 mobile crisis units and properly train first responders with a mandate to deescalate and protect people experiencing mental health crises.
AAPI New Jersey and allied organizations joined Victoria Lee’s family in demanding accountability for the reckless and excessive use of force, an internal investigation and review of internal processes, more than two days a week of alternative crisis response, and greater transparency in the grand jury process.
“This family has patiently waited, cooperated, and held out hope that the officers involved would stand before the law, and Fort Lee would take the actions needed to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” said Amber Reed, Co-Executive Director of AAPI New Jersey. “Fort Lee seems to be no closer and no more willing than it ever has been to assure its community that it is safe to call 911and that community members in need of help will not be shot to death.”
The Justice for Victoria Lee Coalition has partnered with Stop AAPI hate on a petition demanding that the state invest in more culturally competent mental health services and alternatives to law enforcement response. For more information visit: www.justiceforvictorialee.org/.
