Gun Found At Fatal NJ Officer-Involved Shooting Was Not Service Weapon: AG

DEPTFORD, NJ — A gun found after a fatal officer-involved shooting in Gloucester County was not the wounded policeman's service weapon, said New Jersey's attorney general.

Attorney General Matthew Platkin's office released new details Wednesday about the shooting March 10 that killed 24-year-old Mitchell Negron Jr. of Deptford and critically injured Patrol Officer Robert Shisler, who has been recovering.

Platkin's office identified Shisler Wednesday as the officer involved; the Deptford Police Family group had identified him days earlier. The Attorney General also said investigators found a Taurus .38 special revolver at the scene, "which was not the officer's service weapon."

Platkin said the shooting happened Friday afternoon on Delsea Drive after Shisler stopped Negron, who was a pedestrian. During the stop, Platkin said, "a foot pursuit ensued and resulted in a struggle between Officer Shisler and Mr. Negron."

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Both Shisler and Negron "were shot in the area of Dorman Avenue," Platkin said. First responders pronounced Negron dead at approximately 1:01 p.m., said Platkin, and Shisler was taken to Cooper Medical Center in Camden, where he had surgery Friday.

Officials have not yet said who fired the shots, and provided the update on March 15 that police recovered the .38 revolver at the scene.

Shisler was "awake and doing well" on Saturday morning, following Friday evening's surgery, according to the Gloucester County Hero Scholarship Fund. A GoFundMe supporting his recovery has raised more than $104,000 as of Thursday afternoon.

The GoFundMe was started by another police officer's wife, who is raising money for Shisler and his family.

First responders, fellow officers, and medical personnel all sprang to action to help Shisler after he was critically injured, according to the GoFundMe.

Deptford Township Police thanked the men and women working at the 911 center and Gloucester County Police Dispatch, whom the department said are "the unsung heroes of the first responder world."

"Their calmness and professionalism during yesterday’s incident most definitely helped bring about a favorable outcome," police said Saturday. "Thank you, all!"

Police said Shisler is assigned to the Patrol division and is a lifelong Deptford resident.

"He’s an avid weight-lifter and a tireless volunteer. He’s a son, a brother, a nephew, and a friend," the department said Saturday. "Your prayers are working. Please keep them going!"

Here is the full updated statement from Platkin's office, sent Wednesday, March 15:

The Attorney General’s Office today released new information in the March 10, 2023 fatal officer-involved shooting in Deptford in which an officer was also injured.

The civilian who died during the encounter was previously identified as Mitchell Negron Jr., 24, of Deptford. The injured officer has been identified as Officer Robert Shisler of the Deptford Police Department.

According to the preliminary investigation, on Friday, March 10, 2023, at 12:38 p.m., Officer Shisler conducted a pedestrian stop on Delsea Drive in Deptford Township. The pedestrian was later identified as Mr. Negron. During the stop, a foot pursuit ensued and resulted in a struggle between Officer Shisler and Mr. Negron. Both individuals were shot in the area of Doman Avenue. Mr. Negron was pronounced deceased at the scene at approximately 1:01 p.m. Officer Shisler was transported to Cooper Medical Center in Camden. He is currently in stable condition. A Taurus .38 special revolver, which was not the officer’s service weapon, was recovered at the scene.

A 2019 law, P.L. 2019, c. 1, requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.