A high-speed pursuit through Newark and Irvington reportedly came to an end when police officers opened fire on the suspect.
According to law enforcement sources, the chase began in Newark NJ after the suspect robbed a gas station located on Park Avenue.
After allegedly committed the robbery and taking an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled the scene in a minivan.
New Jersey State Police troopers spotted the suspect while they were on patrol near South 20th Street and 18th Avenue. When police ran a check on the vehicle, they learned that the vehicle had been reported as carjacked a day earlier.
The troopers briefly chased the suspect through the streets of Newark before he stopped the minivan. However, as two state troopers approached on foot, the suspect allegedly stepped on the gas pedal and veered his vehicle onto the sidewalk and toward one of the troopers. At that point, police believed they had no choice but to open fire on the suspect.
The pursuit then continued into Irvington, New Jersey. The chase came to an abrupt end in the area of Grove Street and Nye Avenue when the suspect crashed the minivan into another car.
Although it was initially unclear if anyone was struck by the earlier gunfire, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office later confirmed that the suspect was shot multiple times.
Police took the injured suspect into custody and transported him to University Hospital in Newark, NJ. The suspect received medical treatment for his injuries, which were considered non-life threatening. The suspect was guarded by police at the hospital.
New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office are actively investigating the incident. Authorities believe that the suspect might have committed several other robberies in the area.
The suspect is likely to face charges for robbery, carjacking, and aggravated assault.
According to records from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect has a checkered criminal record.
For more information about this case, access the NJ.com article entitled “Police Chase through Newark, Irvington Ends After State Trooper Opens Fire on Suspect.”
