AG’s Office investigating fatal police-involved shooting at Morris County motel on New Year’s Eve
PINE BROOK, NJ (Morris County) —The Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal police-involved shooting that occurred Saturday in a Morris County motel, authorities said.
One male civilian suffered fatal injuries and his identity was not released, authorities said.
According to the preliminary information, members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (“SERT”) were at the motel on Route 46 in Pine Brook to assist Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office detectives with executing an arrest warrant for attempted murder, which incident occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 27 in Elmwood Park Borough, authorities said.
Detectives ascertained that the suspect was inside a particular room and members of the Morris County SERT made entry at approximately 7:14 p.m., whereupon the individual exchanged gunfire with two officers, authorities said.
Officers attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at around 7:27 p.m. Police recovered a firearm near his body, authorities said.
Two officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to an area hospital, authorities said.
This investigation is being conducted pursuant to Attorney General Directive 2019-4, which implements the statutory requirement that the Attorney General’s Office conduct the investigation of any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody, and which establishes clear standards and procedures for conducting such investigations.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
