Trenton
— The Attorney General's Shooting
Response Team continues to investigate
the circumstances surrounding the Mon.,
July 21, fatal shooting of a Maple Shade
man which occurred on I-295 in Bellmawr,
Camden County. The shooting incident involved
three New Jersey State Troopers assigned
to the Bellmawr State Police Station.
The
Attorney General's Shooting Response Team,
comprised of Deputy Attorneys General
and state investigators from the Division
of Criminal Justice and detectives assigned
to the New Jersey State Police Major Crime
Unit, has identified the victim as Eric
Quick, aka Mike Nahill, 31, 400 Block
of Florence Ave., Maple Shade, Camden
County, New Jersey.
An autopsy of the deceased was performed
by the State Medical Examiner's Office
in Newark late yesterday (Tues., July
22). The preliminary cause of death was
determined to be multiple gunshot wounds
to the body. Additional forensic and pathological
tests remain pending by the State Medical
Examiner's Office.
The
Shooting Response Team investigation identified
the troopers involved in the shooting
as Trooper Mark Manzo, Trooper Christopher
Modarelli and Trooper Keith Moyer. Each
of the troopers are assigned to the Troop
A Bellmawr Station. Trooper Manzo, 26,
graduated the 124th State Police Training
Class in October, 2001. Trooper Modarelli,
24, graduated from the 124th State Police
Training Class in October, 2001. Trooper
Moyer, 23, graduated from the 128th State
police Training Class in November, 2001.
The
preliminary investigation by the Shooting
Response Team determined that the incident
began at approximately 9:45 p.m. when
Patrolman James Pratt of the Magnolia
Police Department encountered the driver
of a 1990 Honda Accord on Route 30 (White
Horse Pike) in Magnolia Township when
the driver stopped at Patrolman Pratt's
marked police vehicle to request directions.
Patrolman Pratt initiated an NCIC (National
Crime Information Center) inquiry of the
vehicle registration and was advised that
the vehicle had been reported stolen from
Vineland earlier in the day. As Patrolman
Pratt began enforcement action, the suspect
fled in the stolen vehicle. Patrolman
Pratt initiated pursuit. Patrols from
the Lawnside and Haddon Heights Police
Departments responded to Magnolia's alert
and call for assistance. Simultaneously,
a BOLO (Be On Lookout For) broadcast was
made to the Bellmawr State Police Station
at 9:51 p.m.
The
pursuit moved onto the Southbound lanes
of I-295. The suspect vehicle crossed
the center grass median of I-295 near
Exit 28 (milepost 27.7) into the Northbound
travel lanes. The suspect vehicle became
disabled and came to a stop on the northbound
shoulder. The suspect exited the vehicle
and fled across the Interstate into a
wooded area off the southbound side of
the highway. Troopers from the Bellmawr
Station responded to the I-295 scene.
The troopers entered the wooded area to
search for the suspect. The preliminary
investigation determined that 39 shots
were fired by the responding troopers.
Subsequent investigation determined that
the 1990 Honda Accord had been reported
stolen to the Vineland Police Department
at approximately 3:17 p.m. on Mon., July
21. Additionally, the investigation determined
that the 1990 Honda Accord had been stolen
from outside a Vineland tavern after the
suspect allegedly abandoned a stolen 1989
Oldsmobile (reported stolen to the Philadelphia
Police Department on July 20). The Vineland
Police Department issued a statewide alert
advising surrounding police departments
of the stolen 1990 Honda Accord.
The
investigation remains active and ongoing
by the Attorney General's Shooting Response
Team. No additional investigative reports
will be issued pending the completion
of the Attorney General's Shooting Response
Team investigation.
Under
an Attorney General directive, whenever
state troopers are involved in a shooting,
the Attorney General's Shooting Response
Team, made up of Deputy Attorney's General
and state investigators from the Division
of Criminal Justice and detectives from
the State Police Major Crime Unit, are
dispatched to the scene to conduct the
investigation.
# # #
