Butler NJ police shot a man during a violent incident at a local residence.
According to authorities, the shooting went down around 7:30 p.m. at a home located on Belleview Terrace. The suspect reportedly lives at the house with his grandparents. It is believed that Butler police were searching for the suspect all day before eventually learning that he was at the residence.
When police officers got to the home, they found the suspect in the basement. At some point, one of the police officers discharged his weapon and hit the suspect.
After the shooting, emergency medical responders briefly treated the suspect at the scene. He was subsequently taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, NJ to be treated more thoroughly for his injuries. The medical condition of the suspect is unclear at this time.
It is also unclear exactly what precipitated the police shooting. A neighbor spoke with the media after the incident and said that the suspect “got into trouble with drugs.” Another neighbor speculated that the police had wanted the suspect in connection with the burglary of a local church.
The 23-year-old suspect, who previously lived in Jefferson Township, reportedly has a checkered criminal past that includes convictions for theft of movable property, burglary, and drug offenses. In fact, the suspect was already on probation for a burglary conviction. He has reportedly been arrested at least four times since 2011.
During a previous arrest in 2011, the suspect allegedly resisted arrest while being taken into police custody.
Law enforcement is actively investigating the current case involving the suspect, as well as reviewing the Butler police shooting. The Morris County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Section, the NJ Office of the Attorney General, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office are assisting with the investigation.
For further information about this case, read the DailyRecord.com article, “Police Officer-Involved Shooting in Butler, Authorities Say.”
