Haddon Township officer will not be charged in 2024 fatal shooting of knife-wielding man
HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. - A state grand jury has decided not to bring criminal charges against a Haddon Township police officer after reviewing the death of Keith Edelin during a police encounter on November 3, 2024, according to the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
What we know:
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability presented evidence including 911 calls, police radio transmissions, body-worn camera footage, witness and officer statements, a ballistics report, and autopsy results to the grand jury.
The grand jury, made up of New Jersey residents, finished deliberating on July 27, 2026, and voted not to file criminal charges against the officer involved in the shooting.
According to the investigation, officers responded to a 911 call about an attempted burglary at an apartment complex on West Crystal Lake Avenue. Officers found blood in the lobby and hallway before encountering Edelin, who was armed with a knife, in the stairwell.
Timeline:
Officers arrived at the scene around 1:07 a.m. and found Edelin on the top landing of the stairwell. They gave several commands for him to drop the knife, which he refused. Officers told Edelin they were there to help him and continued to give commands for about two minutes.
When Edelin advanced toward the officers, Officer Luke Falkenberg fired his service weapon, hitting Edelin. Officers gave medical aid until emergency personnel arrived, but Edelin was pronounced dead about an hour later at Cooper University Hospital.
A knife was recovered at the scene, and no officers were injured during the encounter.