By: Richard L. Smith
Family members, friends, and community activists plan to rally Thursday afternoon outside the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office in Trenton, pressing for the release of full video footage from the police encounter that claimed the life of 55-year-old Deborah Terrell in New Brunswick on August 8.
According to the People’s Organization for Progress, supporters say privately recorded footage shows more than what state officials have released to date.
Activists claim the video includes disturbing moments of Ms. Terrell being dragged after being shot and then placed in handcuffs.
The group said the family and community are demanding answers to several key questions: Why has the Attorney General’s Office not released all recordings of the incident? Why did officers enter Terrell’s apartment if she posed no immediate threat?
Why were newly mandated de-escalation protocols not followed? And why was the state’s ARRIVE Together program, which pairs mental health professionals with law enforcement—never called to the scene, despite an earlier police contact that day?
The People’s Organization for Progress stated that Terrell’s death has already sparked multiple large-scale demonstrations, including a shutdown of Route 18 and protests at New Brunswick City Council.
The rally is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2025, outside the Attorney General’s office at 25 Market Street, Trenton.
Among those expected to join the family are Lawrence Hamm of the People’s Organization for Progress, Zayid Muhammad of NJ Communities for Accountable Policing, Lisa Davis of the Black Is Back Coalition, and local activist Tormel Pittman, Ms. Terrell’s nephew, who will help lead the action.
Organizers said the demonstration aims to keep pressure on state officials until the full video is released and all questions from the community are addressed.
For more information about the rally, supporters provided a contact number: 732-619-9619.