Suspect arrested for attempted murder after New Jersey state trooper shot in Paterson
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police announced the arrest of a man after a New Jersey state trooper was shot in the leg while on patrol early Thursday in a normally quiet neighborhood in Paterson.
The suspect, 28-year-old Jocquise Timmons, was apprehended in South Carolina by U.S. Marshalls and will be extradited back to New Jersey. Police say Timmons is from Paterson, but fled to South Carolina to evade arrest.
He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, four counts of aggravated assault, one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon.
Police say Timmons allegedly ambushed and fired at two troopers driving unmarked vehicles near East 26th Street and 9th Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. on Thursday.
Bullets hit both vehicles and struck one of the officers in the leg.
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Authorities say the troopers were involved in an investigation into the break in of a home on East 26th Street hours earlier. Timmons was one of the suspects sought in that attempted break in.
He was captured on surveillance stepping out from behind a parked vehicle, assuming a shooting stance and opening fire on the troopers' vehicles as they attempted to follow a vehicle believed to be involved in the attempted break in.
Timmons is the only person who opened fire on the troopers during this incident. The troopers did not return fire. The .10 mm glock used in the shooting has been recovered.
As for the injured trooper, he was released from the hospital Friday afternoon and is expected to make a full recovery.
"It is a small miracle but he is going to make a full recovery, and thank god for that," New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said.
Further details about him were not released out of safety for the trooper.
Police say they are not looking for any suspects connected to the shooting at this time.
News of the arrest came just moments after authorities announced a separate, unrelated fatal police-involved shooting in Paterson.
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