Bard family to pursue independent investigation
VINELAND - The Philadelphia-based law firm of Conrad J. Benedetto announced Thursday that the family of a Bridgeton man killed in an alleged clash with Vineland police officers has hired the office to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting death.
Richard Bard Jr., 31, of Bridgeton, was shot and killed by Vineland police on April 17 after first opening fire on officers following a brief foot chase near East Avenue and Almond Street, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release following the incident.
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Bard and a second man, John Bain of Vineland, allegedly mugged an elderly man on the 500 block of South Seventh Street before fleeing the scene. Bain was arrested two days later for his alleged role in the incident.
“We just want answers why this happened,” Bard’s mother Dana German-Bunton said in a news release from the law firm. “There are too many unanswered questions. We have not even had the respect of law enforcement to reach out to the family; it’s just wrong.”
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The Prosecutor's Office is handling the investigation for the case.
“The family has requested that they be left to grieve privately at this time,” said Conrad J. Benedetto, attorney for the family. “We will do our utmost to conduct a thorough and fair investigation to get the Bard family answers that they deserve”.
County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae declined to comment Thursday afternoon.