By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Somerset County announced that an ongoing death investigation and the arrest of a Somerville male following a SWAT team activation in Somerville.
Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald stated that on Sunday, November 16, at 1:08 p.m., Somerville Police responded to a residence on Mastogen Drive for reports of shots fired. An area resident notified authorities that he had heard what sounded like shots being fired from a residence on Mastogen Drive and observed a male resident retreat into the residence.
The initial investigation led Somerville Police Officers to attempt to contact the residents, who were known to authorities. Somerville Officers were unsuccessful in making contact, SCPO officials say. During the attempts to make contact, a Somerville Police Officer observed through a window an unresponsive female on the kitchen floor of the residence.
Somerville Police requested assistance from Bridgewater Police in establishing a perimeter while continuing to attempt to contact the male resident. At approximately 2:09 p.m., Somerville Police subsequently requested the Somerset County SWAT team, SCPO officials said.
According to Somerset County officials, the Somerset County SWAT team, the Crisis-Negotiations Team, and SWAT Tactical Medics responded at the request of the Somerville Police. Upon arrival, Crisis-Negotiators attempted to contact the male resident of the house.
Following several unsuccessful attempts, at approximately 3:18 p.m., SWAT made a tactical entry of the residence where they encountered an adult male lying on the couch within the living room of the residence, Somerset County officials said. The adult male, identified as Thomas M. Shaulis, age 66, was armed with four (4) handguns within proximity of his body.
Somerset County authorities say Mr. Shaulis was immediately placed into custody by SWAT members and removed from the residence. Additional SWAT entry members simultaneously continued to clear the residence and discovered a deceased female on the floor in the kitchen.
The deceased female was in advanced stages of decomposition. Inside the residence, authorities stated that it was hoarder-like conditions with an infestation of bed bugs. Prosecutor McDonald stated that detectives from the Somerville Police Department, along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and Medical Investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, responded to the scene to conduct the investigation, SCPO officials said.
Mr. Shaulis was transported to an area hospital for observation, where he remains. Authorities removed numerous firearms and ammunition from the residence following a Superior Court-ordered search warrant, SCPO officials stated.
During a neighborhood canvass, authorities observed two bullet holes in the exterior of a residence on Mastogen Drive near the defendant’s residence, according to Somerset County officials. A postmortem examination will be scheduled to be performed by the Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office to positively identify the adult female decedent and determine the cause and manner of death, as well as next of kin notification.
Prosecutor McDonald stated that defendant Shaulis was charged with second-degree Possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose. Upon discharge from the hospital, defendant Shaulis will be transported and lodged at the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing on this matter.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no further information will be available for release at this time, SCPO officials said.