Man Killed In Standoff With NJ Police Identified

LONG BRANCH, NJ — The man who was killed by police after a nine-hour-long standoff in Long Branch Friday night has now been identified as Mark D. Walker II, 34, of Woodbridge, Virginia, according to the New Jersey Attorney General.

The police officers who fired at him have been identified by the Attorney General as well.

They are: Patrolman Eric Voorand of the Manalapan Police Department, Patrolman Daniel Murphy of the Howell Police Department and Patrolman Omar Akel of the Middletown Police Department.

All are members of the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (similar to a SWAT team), who fired at Walker, said Attorney General Andrew Bruck.

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Walker and police were involved in a stand-off that lasted for nine hours Friday night, and that ultimately ended when the Long Branch apartment building where Walker was holed up in caught fire. Walker ran out of the burning building holding a newborn baby and firing at police officers, according to NBC and the Asbury Park Press.

The incident started when members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office were trying to execute a warrant in connection with a homicide investigation at 274 Chelsea Avenue, Apartment 1, in Long Branch on the evening of Friday, November 5, said the AG. Walker was wanted by police in connection with a murder investigation.

As officers were executing the warrant, Walker moved into a room of the apartment and shot one of the officers in the lower leg as the officer approached the room, said the Attorney General.

At that point, the officers repositioned themselves outside the apartment and Walker barricaded himself inside. Members of the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team were deployed to the scene.

The tense stand-off then proceeded to last until 2 a.m. Saturday, when a fire erupted in the apartment and Walker fled the building, discharging a gun multiple times as he exited.

Officers Voorand, Murphy and Akel returned fire, hitting Walker, who was later pronounced dead at the scene, said the AG.

NBC and the Asbury Park Press cited anonymous police sources who said Walker was holding his girlfriend's two-week-old baby and the police shield of the wounded officer as he ran out of the building, firing at officers. They also report that the fire at the apartment building was deliberately set.

The newborn baby was recovered by police with no injuries.

The officer who was shot in the lower leg was transported to a local hospital and discharged later in the evening.

As Patch previously reported, that apartment building on Chelsea Avenue was completely destroyed and is now a hollow shell after what the AG described as "best efforts" from the Long Branch Fire Department to put out the fire.

The building housed several families, who are now homeless. This GoFundMe was started for residents of that building.

The state attorney general's office investigates anytime someone dies in police custody. The state prosecutor is required to convene a grand jury to review the causes and circumstances of the death.

Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com Be the first to know. Sign up to get Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe