To: Governor Murphy, Attorney General Platkin, Senate President Scutari, and Speaker Coughlin

We are outraged and heartbroken by the killing of Victoria Lee, a 25-year-old Korean American, by a Fort Lee police officer on July 28, 2024. 

Victoria was experiencing a mental health crisis when her family called 911, seeking urgent medical assistance and transportation to a local hospital. 

Instead, this call for help ended in her senseless murder.

The footage and recordings released by the NJ Attorney General's Office confirm what the Lee family has already shared with the world: that in a matter of minutes, the Fort Lee police shot and killed Victoria, who was in no way a threat to anyone, as her mother watched helplessly. 

This horrific incident is not an isolated case. It is part of a deeply disturbing pattern in New Jersey, where fatal encounters between law enforcement and individuals experiencing mental health crises — like Andrew Washington and Najee Seabrooks — have repeatedly shown the grave dangers people of color face during interactions with law enforcement. We also remember and raise awareness of AAPI community members killed by police nationwide, including Win Rozario, Christian Hall, and Yong Yang.

We demand the following urgent actions:

• Launch a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Victoria Lee that examines both the specific circumstances of this incident and the broader practices of the Fort Lee Police Department and other first responders in handling mental health crises. The perpetrator in this incident and all involved must be held accountable. 

• Reduce unnecessary law enforcement involvement in mental health crises by significantly expanding and investing in mental health services and community-based programs that are culturally responsive and linguistically diverse. This includes fully implementing the Seabrooks-Washington Act, which would enable community responses to these crises.

• Implement comprehensive and immediate changes across all state and local law enforcement agencies, mandating close collaboration with mental health professionals and community organizations to drastically improve practices and protocols for supporting individuals experiencing mental health emergencies.

While the investigation is ongoing, New Jersey state leaders must waste no time in doing everything in their power to ensure anyone in need of mental health services can safely access care. For many reasons, it can be challenging for Asian Americans to access mental health support. We are deeply concerned about the impact of this incident and others like it on the willingness of Asian Americans to seek medical care when they need it. 

These steps are essential to ensuring that no other family in New Jersey has to endure the unimaginable pain and loss that Victoria Lee's loved ones are now facing. We call on you to act swiftly and decisively to ensure justice and accountability for Victoria and to protect the lives of those in vulnerable situations.