The Attorney General’s Office is conducting an investigation of a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred yesterday, July 14, in Morris Township.
The decedent has been identified as Timothy O’Shea, 24, of Morris Township.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Morris Township, Morris Plains, and Morristown Police Departments received a 911 call at approximately 4:14 p.m. reporting a domestic disturbance.
According to police, the caller reported that a person at the residence had cut himself and had a gun. Uniformed officers of the three police departments responded to the residence on Fairchild Avenue where Timothy O’Shea lived.
Upon arrival, officers encountered the 911 caller and took that person into safety. Shortly after, at approximately 4:19 p.m., officers encountered Timothy O’Shea, who was holding a pistol and bleeding.
Officials stated that during the encounter, one officer fired his weapon, striking Mr. O’Shea. Officers rendered medical aid until EMS arrived.
EMS transported Mr. O’Shea to Morristown Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased at 5:41 p.m. The pistol that was in his hand was recovered at the scene and determined to be a replica Beretta 9mm airsoft pistol.
The investigation is being conducted by the Integrity Bureau within the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
This investigation is being conducted pursuant to a law enacted in January 2019, P.L.2019, c.1, which requires that the Attorney General’s Office conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody.
The investigation is ongoing.