Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Washington Township Police Chief Jeffrey Almer announce that Keith O’Connor, 49, of Washington Township, has been charged in connection with a shots fired incident that occurred on Rock Road in Washington Township on Monday March 30.
According to police at approximately 7:10 p.m., officers of the Washington Township Police Department responded to a residence located on Rock Road in Washington Township to perform a welfare check into a report of a suicidal male.
Police say it is alleged that while the officers were on scene, O’Connor fired a shotgun at or in their direction.
The subsequent investigation revealed additional weapons, including an assault firearm and large capacity ammunition magazines, as well as a suspected controlled dangerous substance, were found within O’Connor’s residence.
No shots were fired by the Washington Township Police Department officers.
As a result of the investigation into this incident, O’Connor has been charged with Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, a crime of the second degree; Aggravated Assault, a crime of the third degree; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a crime of the second degree; Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, a crime of the fourth degree; and Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, a crime of the third degree. He remains in custody and is pending a first appearance in court.
Members of the Washington Township Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office -Crime Scene Investigations, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit all took part in this investigation.
If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200, or the Washington Township Police Department at 908-876-8300.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Any inquiries can be directed to Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Public Information Officer Meghan Knab at 973-829-8159 or mknab@co.morris.nj.us.