Trenton Cop Indicted After Suspect Dies After Pepper Spray Incident

A grand jury has indicted a Trenton police officer for the officer’s alleged use of pepper spray in a 2020 arrest incident where a man died.

Police body camera footage of the July 6, 2020 incident shows an encounter between Joseph Ahr Sr. and Trenton police officers on the front porch of Ahr’s home. Ahr’s son called the police to the home about a domestic incident.

According to the investigation, which was conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, a verbal dispute broke out between police and Ahr. While officers tried to arrest Ahr, Officer Nicholas Piotrowski can be seen striking, and then pepper spraying Ahr, who was on the ground. Ahr can be heard screaming, ‘I can't breathe.’

Ahr died 18 days after that incident. According to the medical examiner, Ahr suffered from chronic pulmonary disease and COVID-19. The cause of death was determined to be acute respiratory failure following the use of pepper spray.
Piotrowski was indicted on one count of official misconduct. He could face up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted.