Man In Critical Condition Following Toms River Police Shooting: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A man is in critical condition at an area hospital after a police-involved shooting in the Silverton section of the township Sunday evening, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Monday afternoon.

A preliminary investigation shows the man who was shot had called 911 to report a person with a weapon to draw a police response and then used a television remote control to make it appear he had a weapon, the prosecutor's office said.

The prosecutor's office said it would not be releasing the names of either the officers involved or the injured man at this time.

Capt. Jack Sramaty, speaking on behalf of Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato, released preliminary details in the incident that occurred about 6:44 p.m. Sunday.

He said Toms River Police received a 911 call reporting a suspicious male armed with a gun had been seen in the area of Sand Creek Lane in Toms River. An additional 911 call was placed to the Toms River Police Department reporting that there were three suspicious males, one armed with a gun, in the area of Sand Creek Lane, Sramaty said.

Members of the Toms River Police Department responded to the area of Sand Creek Lane and Christian Court and encountered a white male subject walking in the area, Sramaty said.

The man had his right hand hidden behind his back and began walking toward the officers, Sramaty said, and the officers gave repeated loud commands to the man, ordering him to show them his hands and to put his hands in the air.

The man ignored the officers' repeated commands, and instead quickly removed his right hand from behind his back and pointed a black object at the officers, Sramaty said.

The two initial responding officers fired a total of nine rounds, striking the man twice, he said, and then immediately rendered first aid to the man, who was subsequently transported to an area hospital where he is listed in critical but stable condition, Sramaty said. The man is expected to survive, he said.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the man, who has been staying at a Toms River area motel, made a 911 call to the Toms River Police so they would respond, he said. In addition, the black object he was hiding behind his back and pointed at the officers was found to be a black television remote control, Sramaty said. The man took the TV remote from his motel room, Sramaty said.

On Sunday evening, one resident who contacted Patch reported hearing an officer repeatedly yelling "show me your hands, don't move" before hearing what he thought were five gunshots.

"It was faint but I could clearly hear what they were saying," the man said.

As per the mandates and guidelines of the New Jersey State Attorney General’s Office regarding police-involved shootings, this investigation is being led by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI Unit, and with the full cooperation of the Toms River Police Department, Sramaty said.

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact Detective Raymond Gardner or Detective Lindsay Woodfield of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, Sramaty said.

Toms River Police car by Karen Wall; map via Google maps