Corrections Officer Convicted In Burlington County Doctor's Office Shooting

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — A jury convicted a former Burlington County corrections officer of aggravated manslaughter in a shooting that fatally wounded an employee and injured a patient at a doctor's office, officials said.

Bruce Gomola Jr. was accused of fatally shooting 41-year-old Stephanie Horton over a dispute concerning Gomola's father at a Delaware Valley Urology Office in July of 2020. Officials said he was upset about details of one of his father's appointments there, and got in a verbal argument with her before pulling out a gun.

He worked for the jail as a corrections officer at the time and was suspended without pay. He has been in the Morris County Correctional Facility since his arrest, Bradshaw said.

Jurors declined to convict Gomola Jr. of murder in the shooting, which happened in Mount Laurel, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw. The jury returned a guilty verdict against Gomola Wednesday on charges of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree aggravated assault, Bradshaw said. They deliberated for approximately five hours over three days, she said.

Gomola's sentencing is scheduled for April 14. Read more — Burlington County Corrections Officer Indicted In Fatal Shooting

Horton was a patient services representative at the office, located in the 15000 block of Midlantic Drive, and was trying to calm Gomola down when he shot her in the chest with a .40 caliber handgun, according to authorities. The bullet went through her back and struck a female patient in the knee, authorities said.

Gomola then left the building in a car, but returned shortly thereafter, authorities said. He surrendered to a Mount Laurel police officer on the scene, and was suspended without pay from his position.