WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, NJ – Two police officers, one from the NYPD and another from New Jersey, were wounded by gunfire during a shooting that resulted in the death of a suspect in Middlesex County. The shooting, which is currently under investigation by the New Jersey state attorney general’s office, occurred during a late-night assignment that led the officers to a popular banquet hall.
Law enforcement officials received reports of a possible active shooter around 12:30 a.m. at the Raritan Hotel’s 1,000-seat banquet hall, Royal Albert’s Palace, in Woodbridge Township. In relation to an ongoing East Harlem homicide investigation, the NYPD had placed an alarm on a license plate. This vehicle was later identified by a license plate reader used by New Jersey police. In response to this evidence, NYPD officers, New Jersey State Troopers, as well as local officers from Woodbridge Township and Edison arrived at the scene.
As per the report, a confrontation between the girlfriend of the suspect and the responding officers led to her subsequent arrest. Upon witnessing this, the boyfriend allegedly began shooting as he exited the building, leading to his death in the resulting crossfire. The police officers who were shot, one in the foot and another in the back, are projected to survive their injuries.
The aftermath of the overnight incident was marked by the presence of police vehicles from both Woodbridge and New York City at the scene. Investigations are ongoing, and authorities towed a white SUV from the premises early Thursday morning, although its connection to the incident remains unconfirmed.
NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin, in his statement, saluted law enforcement’s unwavering dedication to community safety, acknowledging the risks they undertake daily in the face of violent incidents. The Attorney General emphasized the collaboration between law enforcement bodies to ensure a comprehensive investigation of this incident and took a strong stance against all instances of gun violence in New Jersey.