SHOT BY COP
Police say 17-year-old aimed gun at officer
Friday, November 24, 2006
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Jersey City police responding to a robbery in progress shot a 17-year-old boy after he allegedly aimed a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun at the officers yesterday morning, officials said.
Carlos Cotui, 18, of Boyd Street, and the wounded Montgomery Street boy, were arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, robbery, kidnapping, burglary and weapons offenses, Capt. Hugh Donaghue said.
A frightened 62-year-old Apollo Street woman called police saying there were two men in her backyard. By the time officers arrived the two men had forced their way inside and were holding her son at gun-point and demanding money, Donaghue said.
At 12:08 a.m. the woman's son pushed one of the robbers and made a break for it running down a flight of stairs with the armed 17-year-old chasing him. At the same time officers Timothy Legowski and James Halter were coming up the steps, Donaghue said. The suspect pointed his gun at the officers and Halter fired one round striking him in the shoulder, Donaghue said.
The wounded suspect ran back into the apartment, and he and his alleged accomplice jumped out second-floor windows and fled, with one of the suspects dropping articles of clothing along the way in an apparent attempt to alter his appearance, police said.
Officers followed a blood trail but lost the pair until 1:11 a.m. when a police officer at the Jersey City Medical Center spotted the wounded boy in the emergency room, made the connection to earlier events and detained him, Donaghue said. The investigation then led to the arrest of Cotui at his home just after 3 a.m., Donaghue said. Cotui was also charged with drug possession after police found he was carrying two bags of suspected marijuana, Donaghue said, adding that an officer recovered the gun in the Apollo Street residence, Donaghue said. The wounded boy was treated and cleared for incarceration.
"Preliminary indications are it was a justifiable use of force by the officer," Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said. DeFazio's office reviews all county police shootings.
Prosecutors will consider charging the alleged juvenile gunman as an adult, DeFazio said, a distinction making a much longer sentence possible upon conviction .
Why should they have to think about this? A 17 y/o is close enough to an adult. The boy misguided boy didn't know what he was doing? Pass all these laws then find ways not to enforce them. But them go ahead and pass some more like the new "One Gun Every Six Months Law" which recently passed in that city.
Police say 17-year-old aimed gun at officer
Friday, November 24, 2006
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Jersey City police responding to a robbery in progress shot a 17-year-old boy after he allegedly aimed a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun at the officers yesterday morning, officials said.
Carlos Cotui, 18, of Boyd Street, and the wounded Montgomery Street boy, were arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, robbery, kidnapping, burglary and weapons offenses, Capt. Hugh Donaghue said.
A frightened 62-year-old Apollo Street woman called police saying there were two men in her backyard. By the time officers arrived the two men had forced their way inside and were holding her son at gun-point and demanding money, Donaghue said.
At 12:08 a.m. the woman's son pushed one of the robbers and made a break for it running down a flight of stairs with the armed 17-year-old chasing him. At the same time officers Timothy Legowski and James Halter were coming up the steps, Donaghue said. The suspect pointed his gun at the officers and Halter fired one round striking him in the shoulder, Donaghue said.
The wounded suspect ran back into the apartment, and he and his alleged accomplice jumped out second-floor windows and fled, with one of the suspects dropping articles of clothing along the way in an apparent attempt to alter his appearance, police said.
Officers followed a blood trail but lost the pair until 1:11 a.m. when a police officer at the Jersey City Medical Center spotted the wounded boy in the emergency room, made the connection to earlier events and detained him, Donaghue said. The investigation then led to the arrest of Cotui at his home just after 3 a.m., Donaghue said. Cotui was also charged with drug possession after police found he was carrying two bags of suspected marijuana, Donaghue said, adding that an officer recovered the gun in the Apollo Street residence, Donaghue said. The wounded boy was treated and cleared for incarceration.
"Preliminary indications are it was a justifiable use of force by the officer," Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said. DeFazio's office reviews all county police shootings.
Prosecutors will consider charging the alleged juvenile gunman as an adult, DeFazio said, a distinction making a much longer sentence possible upon conviction .
Why should they have to think about this? A 17 y/o is close enough to an adult. The boy misguided boy didn't know what he was doing? Pass all these laws then find ways not to enforce them. But them go ahead and pass some more like the new "One Gun Every Six Months Law" which recently passed in that city.
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