Mayor: Jersey City police officer shot and killed responding to armed robbery call
7/13/2014JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Officials say a Jersey City police officer has been shot and killed while responding to an armed robbery call.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop says in a statement that Officer Melvin Santiago was shot in the head while still in his police car as he and his partner responded to a call at a Walgreen’s Pharmacy at about 4 a.m. Sunday. Fulop says Santiago was later pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center. Santiago’s age was not immediately released.
Fulop says officers responding to the robbery call shot and killed the man who shot Santiago. He was not immediately identified.
The mayor says an armed security guard at the pharmacy told authorities the man struck him and took his weapon. Fulop says police believe that weapon was used in the shooting.
Fulop called the incident a “horrible day for Jersey City” and a “tragic situation.”