Rashaun Washington was fatally shot near this home on Wood Street in Vineland. (Amanda Hoover | For NJ.com)

Matt Gray | For NJ.com

A lawyer for the family of a man shot and killed by police in Vineland on Saturday is calling on cops at the scene that day to step forward and report what really happened.

The officer who shot and killed Rashaun Washington apparently didn't follow state guidelines for use of deadly force, according to attorney Andaiye Al-Uqdah.

Police responded to East Wood Street for a report of a man on a porch acting suspiciously.

Bystander video shows police with guns drawn and shouting orders at the shirtless Washington. Following an encounter that lasts several minutes, during which Washington paces back and forth, he starts running in the direction of the officers and three gunshots are heard.

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Rashaun Washington with one of his kids and the mother of his child, Donette Stevenson. (Photo provided by the Washington family)

A water bottle and a T-shirt

Washington, 37, of Bridgeton was unarmed, holding only a water bottle and his shirt during the incident, Al-Uqdah said.

Even though officers knew he was unarmed, police did not try to approach or restrain him, she said.

"Eyewitnesses have provided credible statements indicating that Mr. Washington posed no imminent threat to officers that could justify the use of deadly force," she said. "Had the officers involved with this shooting properly followed the Attorney General's guidelines on the use of force, this horrible incident could have been abated and Mr. Washington would be alive today."

Police union officials did not respond to requests for comment about Al-Uqdah's assertions.

Authorities have not confirmed that Washington was unarmed. They also have not named the officer who fired, though Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae did say Monday that only one cop fired and that he has been placed on paid administrative leave, per Vineland Police Department police, while the case is investigated.

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Here's what the policy says

Under state Attorney General use of force guidelines, an officer may use deadly force "when the officer reasonably believes such action is immediately necessary to protect the officer or another person from imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm."

Deadly force is also allowed to prevent the escape of a suspect if the officer believes the suspect caused or attempted to cause harm to someone or will pose "an imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm should the escape succeed."

Officers are instructed to consider non-lethal means first.

"... a law enforcement officer shall not resort to the use of deadly force if the officer reasonably believes that an alternative to the use of deadly force will avert or eliminate an imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, and achieve the law enforcement purpose at no increased risk to the officer or another person."

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What we don't know

A witness said Washington was sitting on the porch of the duplex and refused to leave. He claimed he knew someone who lived in one of the units.

Authorities have not confirmed these details or another witness claim that on officer yelled "bomb" before shots were fired.

In addition, officials have not said what Washington was doing that was deemed suspicious and have not confirmed what he said to officers prior to the shooting.

Under state guidelines, the county prosecutor's office is investigating this police-involved shooting and will issue a report. The state Attorney General's Office will sign off on the conclusions reached in the investigation.

Under the Open Public Records Act, New Jersey Advance Media has requested body camera and dashboard camera video, as well as police dispatch communications related to the incident. The prosecutor's office is reviewing that request.

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Good officers must step up

Al-Uqdah called on officers who were on the scene that day to step forward and provide information about what really happened.

"It is our hope that if there's any officer present who did not participate in this unprovoked shooting, he or she will provide to internal affairs the truth behind this senseless murder of this young man by those responsible officers."

Bad cops who aren't held accountable sully the reputation of the good officers who protect and serve, she said.

"The brave police officers around the nation will continue to be tarnished and subjected to suspicion and distrust if the officers who kill unjustifiably go protected and unchecked."

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Rashaun Washington (Photo provided by Washington family)

Washington had a record

Washington was released from prison in December after serving time for robbery.

His father told Fox29 that Washington was released from a Bridgeton half-way house four months ago. As for his son's criminal history, he told the TV station that the "Camden streets got him."

Al-Uqdah is concerned that Washington's past troubles with the law will be used as a smokescreen to justify Saturday's shooting. The officers responding to Saturday's incident knew nothing of Washington's background, she said.

"The Vineland Police Department has not offered an official statement.," she said. "We believe that is because there is nothing that can be said to justify this horrible killing. We expect that the statement they eventually give will attempt to smear Mr. Washington's character and background."

Washington leaves behind two kids, his parents and siblings.

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Many shootings under review

Statewide, police have shot and killed 14 people in the last 13 months. Investigations have been completed in two of the shootings, with no findings of wrongdoing by officers. The other cases remain under investigation.

Saturday's incident is one of three police-involved shootings in Cumberland County in the last year that remain under review.

In January, a Millville cop shot Edward C. Gandy Jr. after he called 911 to report that he had a loaded gun and was "feeling homicidal." When an officer responded, Gandy walked toward him and ignored orders to show his hands, police said. He held his hands behind his back, then made gestures as if he was preparing to fire a weapon. The officer fired, killing Gandy. It turned out that Gandy had no weapon.

Jose M. Pietri allegedly killed two people in Winslow Township in April before leading police on a chase that ended in Millville. Pietri, 55, stopped his vehicle on a dead-end street, got out and apparently drew a weapon as officers closed in. A Millville cop fired 14 shots, killing Pietri. A use of force report indicates Pietri threatened officers with a firearm and actually fired at police.

Anyone with information about Saturday's shooting is asked to contact Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office Detective Joseph Lowry at 856-453-0486, ext. 11197. An anonymous tip can be submitted through the prosecutor's Facebook page.

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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.