Overview
- A photojournalist was struck and injured while covering protests at Delaney Hall and left a bag of camera gear behind that tracked to an officer, according to investigators; the attack occurred on May 30.
- An Apple AirTag in the photographer’s bag pinged to a Sparta, New Jersey, residence tied to Sgt. Darryl Brown and his body-worn camera footage shows him handling a dark bag at the protest site.
- State investigators executed a search of Brown’s home and recovered several items from the missing equipment, some still labeled with the photographer’s name.
- The New Jersey Attorney General charged Brown with third-degree theft, he was suspended without pay by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and he faces a municipal court date in July.
- The case has raised press-rights concerns at the ongoing Delaney Hall protests and prompted state officials to emphasize accountability while scrutiny of law enforcement tactics and facility conditions continues.