Keansburg Pharmacy Suspect Killed By Police Identified As Local

KEANSBURG, NJ — The suspect who was killed in last Thursday's standoff and attempted robbery at a Keansburg pharmacy has been identified as James Sutton, 55, of Keansburg.

The police officer he is accused of stabbing multiple times remains at Jersey Shore Medical Center, recovering from two surgeries.

The 911 call of a robbery at Keansburg Pharmacy came in at 3:21 p.m. on Jan. 6, reporting a robbery in progress at a pharmacy at 199 Main Street. Officers of the Keansburg Police Department responded.

When officers arrived, Sutton was holding a large knife and threatening to harm an employee of the pharmacy.

One officer was stabbed by Sutton, said the NJ Attorney General. Multiple officers fired their service weapons striking Sutton, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The officers who discharged their weapons have been identified as Officer Jillian Putkowski, Detective Christopher Rogan and Detective Richard Johnson.

"It is not a life-threatening injury," previously said Keansburg Mayor Andrew Hoff of the officer who was stabbed. "But he was stabbed in his wrist, and his left elbow was shattered. He needed an eight- to nine-hour surgery on Saturday and just went in for his second surgery Monday morning. We are all thinking of him."

He said the injured officer is a 10-year veteran of the Keansburg police force and that his parents flew up from Florida to be by his bedside in the hospital.

Read the original Patch report on the Keansburg Pharmacy Jan. 6 attempted robbery and hostage standoff: Officer Stabbed, Suspect Killed In Keansburg Pharmacy Incident

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