Criminal Charges Filed After “Officer-Involved Shooting” in Bergen County, NJ
Criminal charges have been filed against a man after two Fort Lee police officers were injured in what authorities are referring to as an “officer-involved shooting.” According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, there were reports of multiple gunshots that prompted a response by Fort Lee police officers and detectives. After the response, Fort Lee cops were involved in a “use of force incident” in which an unidentified man with a knife was shot. Additionally, two police officers were injured in the shooting incident. After the incident, the suspect was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center and several Fort Lee police officers were taken to Englewood Hospital. Subsequently, the suspect was charged with possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, specifically for allegedly having used the firearm against Fort Lee police officers. The suspect was also charged with possession of a handgun without obtaining a permit and pointing a firearm under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference.
The firearms charges that the suspect faces are extremely serious and carry severe penalties. For example, the possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose is a second degree crime that carries a potential sentence of 5-10 years in prison, which includes a minimum period of incarceration without parole. Specifically, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a)(1) states that any person who has in his possession any firearm with a purpose to use it unlawfully against the person or property of another is guilty of a crime of the second degree. Similarly, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), the possession of a handgun without obtaining a permit is also a second degree crime that is punishable by 5-10 years in state prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence.
Generally, second degree crimes in New Jersey carry a prison sentence of 5-10 years and a fine of up to $150,000. Moreover, firearms offenses in NJ are controlled by the Graves Act, which imposes mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes. Specifically, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6(c) states that a person who has been convicted of certain firearms crimes and other crimes while in the possession of a firearm “shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment by the court.” This term of imprisonment “shall be fixed at, or between, one-third and one-half of the sentence imposed by the court or three years, whichever is greater, or 18 months in the case of a fourth degree crime, during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole.” Thus, the fact of the matter is that gun crimes in New Jersey are taken very seriously by the criminal justice system.
Knife Possession Charges in Fort Lee NJ
If you are charged with a firearms offense, there is a lot on the line for you and your family. That’s where the Tormey Law Firm comes in. The New Jersey firearms defense lawyers at the Tormey Law Firm have successfully handled many gun crime cases throughout New Jersey, oftentimes even achieving dismissal of second degree charges. If you have been charged with a weapons offense in New Jersey, such as the unlawful possession of a firearm or the possession of a handgun, rifle, or shotgun for an unlawful purpose, contact the Tormey Law Firm today.