Essex
County - The Attorney General’s
Shooting Response Team is conducting an
investigation into the circumstances surrounding
a shooting incident that occurred in Irvington,
Essex County, at 12:33 p.m. on Fri., Feb.
24.
The preliminary investigation has determined
that law enforcement officers assigned
to the Essex County Anti-Crime Partnership
-- a law enforcement Task Force comprised
of police officers and detectives from
the New Jersey State Police, Division
of Criminal Justice, Essex County Prosecutor’s
Office, Essex County Sheriff’s Office,
Irvington Police Department, and other
federal, state, county, and local law
enforcement agencies -- were engaged in
the undercover observation of illegal,
street-level drug transactions.
The undercover officers observed a male
suspect allegedly involved in an illegal
drug transaction in the vicinity of 20th
Street in Irvington. The Partnership officers
identified themselves and moved to arrest
the suspect. The suspect fled with the
officers in foot pursuit. The suspect
was engaged by the officers in a construction
lot at 20th Street between 17th and 18th
Avenues, where the suspect resisted arrest
and struggled with an arresting Irvington
police officer. In the course of resisting
arrest, the Irvington police officers’
issued weapon discharged. The suspect
was shot in the abdomen. The suspect was
taken to University Hospital where he
was treated for the non-life threatening
wound. The Irvington police officer, subsequently
identified as Officer Anthony Farmer,
was also taken to University Hospital
for treatment of injuries sustained during
the arrest and resulting scuffle. The
investigation has yet to make a positive
identification of the suspect. The suspect
will be held pending the filing of charges
by the Attorney General’s Shooting
Response Team and the Essex County Prosecutors
Office.
The shooting incident remains under investigation
by the Attorney General’s Shooting
Response Team. Under an Attorney General
Directive, the Attorney General’s
Shooting Response Team, made up of Deputy
Attorney’s General and State Investigators
from the Division of Criminal Justice
and detectives from the State Police Major
Crime Unit, are dispatched to the scene
to conduct the investigation. The Attorney
General’s Shooting Response Team
also receives investigative and administrative
support from county prosecutor’s
offices. The Essex County Prosecutor’s
Office is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
#
# #
