Prosecutor: Fatal shooting by Camden cops justified

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday that the fatal shooting last July by Camden County Police officers of a man holding a BB gun was justified, a ruling that frustrated the man's family.

The Prosecutor's Office said Oscar Camacho Jr., 33, pointed the weapon, which was black and had a brown handle, at an officer and ignored orders to drop it before the officer and a sergeant opened fire.

Sgt. Keith Henderson, a 10-year veteran, fired 16 times, striking Camacho "multiple times," authorities said. Officer James DiMarco, who had been on the job four weeks at the time, fired once toward Camacho.

Camacho's father, Oscar Sr., on Tuesday called the investigative findings "bull."

"He never shot anybody," Oscar Camacho Sr. said. "So how the hell they going to shoot him so many times?"

The father said the family had not taken legal action and was considering its options.

"I don't know what else to do," Oscar Camacho Sr. said. "What else can I do?"

Camden County spokesman Dan Keashen said the police department will conduct an administrative investigation "to ensure the actions taken by both officers were consistent with our organizational policies and procedures."

The officers at the scene that night are no longer on administrative duty, where they had been placed as standard procedure after the shooting.

The Prosecutor's Office investigates a police-involved shooting first to determine if anyone should be criminally charged. The police department then reviews whether its procedures were followed.

Camacho worked at a Cherry Hill landscaping company and had three sons, who were 10, 8, and 7 at the time of the shooting. Family members said in July that Camacho was upset after receiving hurtful text messages from his former girlfriend's new partner.

Authorities said Camacho was suicidal, and called 911 around 11 p.m. July 3 to say he had crashed his Honda Civic into parked cars.

"I'm done with my life," he told the dispatcher, according to a recording of the call and the Prosecutor's Office. He also said, "I'm going to come at the cops, like I said, whatever, and we're going to go in a shootout, whatever."

The Prosecutor's Office said Camacho then parked his car and walked to the front door of a house in the 3200 block of Harrison Avenue, where two friends and his brother were inside.

Camacho told them, "I love you," before walking back down the porch steps.

Camacho then approached two of the three officers who arrived, DiMarco and Joseph McGrath, who were questioning a homeless man who they believed to be Camacho. McGrath yelled "Gun!" when he saw Camacho with the BB gun pointed to the ground. At the time, police believed the gun was a revolver, authorities said.

Camacho then aimed it at DiMarco, causing DiMarco to take cover behind an SUV, the Prosecutor's Office said. The three officers told Camacho to drop the gun.

When Camacho kept the weapon aimed at DiMarco and ignored the order, Henderson, the sergeant, opened fire, authorities said. DiMarco, believing Camacho was shooting at him, leaned out from behind the SUV and shot once toward Camacho, the Prosecutor's Office said. McGrath did not fire.

Camacho fell to the ground, next to the BB gun, a .22 Crosman Arms CO2 revolver.

In a statement on the findings, the Prosecutor's Office referred to DiMarco and Henderson as Officer #2 and Officer #3 respectively. Police had identified the officers after the shooting.

"Based upon the results of this investigation, Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo determined that the use of deadly force by Officer #2 and Officer #3 was clearly necessary to protect both of the officers from imminent death or serious bodily injury," the statement said.

The state Division of Criminal Justice reviewed and agreed with the findings, the Prosecutor's Office said.

mboren@phillynews.com

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