Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Fairfield Police Chief Charles Voelker Jr. are reporting an officer involved shooting at 5:30 p.m. this evening in the township. The prosecutors office stated that minutes before the incident, a concerned driver contacted the Police Department and reported a driver of a Ford Pickup Truck that was driving erratic and appeared to be a drunk driver. The concerned driver was able to approach the pickup truck at Route 46 West and Plymouth Road and attempted to remove the keys and the driver from the vehicle. It was at that point, that Fairfield Police arrived. As the officers were investigating, the driver allegedly put the truck in gear and rammed a Fairfield marked police car. He then backed up and drove over a grassy median; driving in the direction of the police officer according to Ambrose. The officer reportedly having no way of escape, fired his weapon at the suspect striking him once in the head. The suspect is a 46 year old Morris County resident whose name has not been released until notification has been made to his family, Has been airlifted by the State Police to Saint Joseph Hospital in Paterson where the suspect is listed in critical but stable condition. A blood sample was taken from the suspect at the hospital by the Prosecutor's Office. There were no other occupants in the suspects vehicle. The Fairfield Police Officer, a 10 year veteran of the force, was taken to a hospital and evaluated. The incident is under investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes and Professional Standards Bureau as well as the Fairfield Police Department. The suspect has been placed under arrested by the Fairfield Police( the charges will be given tomorrow along with the suspects name).
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE POLICE INVOLVED SHOOTING IN FAIRFIELD
Fairfield Township (Essex)