Toms River Man Sought Suicide By Cop In Manchester Shooting Sunday: Prosecutor

MANCHESTER, NJ — A preliminary investigation into the shooting Sunday of a Toms River man by Manchester Township police indicates the man was seeking suicide by cop, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato said Monday.

The shooting is being investigated 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 Manchester Township Police Department, said Capt. Jack Sramaty, spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

Sramaty gave a description of the preliminary details on the shooting:

Just after 1:50 p.m. on Sunday, Manchester Township police officers responded to a residence on Robin Street in the township regarding a report of a suicidal man. The man, identified as 18-year-old Limichael Shine of Toms River, had called 9-1-1 and said he wanted a police officer to respond to his location, and that he, Shine, was going to commit suicide, Sramaty said.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that upon arrival, the Manchester officers made contact with Shine, who was seen holding a large knife, Sramaty said.

Shine then asked the responding officers to shoot him, Sramaty said. The officers gave Shine commands to relax, surrender and to drop his weapon, but Shine began walking towards the officers in a threatening manner, he said.

"Mr. Shine refused to obey repeated commands by the officers to surrender and to drop his knife. This encounter resulted in a Manchester Township Police Officer firing one shot upon Mr. Shine," Sramaty said. The officers immediately rendered first aid to Shine, who was transported to a nearby medical facility where he was pronounced dead, Sramaty said.

Sramaty said the investigation revealed Shine was at the Robin Street residence cleaning it with his mother.

Detectives investigating the shooting found a handwritten note near Shine, Sramaty said, in which Shine apologizes to the officer who ultimately will respond to the 9-1-1 call, stating his goal was to commit suicide by officer, he said. Shine wrote the note just prior to calling 9-1-1, investigators found, Sramaty said.

A large knife was also recovered from the immediate area where the responding officers encountered Shine, he said.

The investigation is being conducted by the prosecutor's office under the mandates and guidelines of the New Jersey State Attorney General’s Office regarding police-involved shootings, Sramaty said. Anyone who has any information is asked to contact Detective John Carroll of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, extension 3964.

There is no further information that can be provided at this time, he said.