A South Whitehall Township police officer, responding to a report of a person interfering with traffic, encountered Santos around 5:45 p.m. Witnesses said he was jumping on moving vehicles and hanging onto the police car before the officer stopped. On the police scanner, the officer asked for backup for a possible "mental issue." In videos, Santos is seen walking away from the police car, then reversing course and walking toward the officer, who is heard demanding that he get on the ground. Santos, who did not appear to be armed, can be seen raising a hand, then lowering it before he was shot and killed.
Victim's Name: Joseph Santos
Agency Responsible: South Whitehall Township Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 44
Race: Hispanic
Date of Death: July 28, 2018
County: Lehigh
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Unknown
Armed: Unclear
Weapon: undetermined
Threat Level: undetermined
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 3897
Geography: Suburban