5 NJ cops shot, 2 suspects killed in shootout

Five police officers were shot — two of them critically wounded — in a shootout that broke out Thursday morning when officers approached a car connected to a robbery.

Two suspects were also killed in the shootout, which stemmed from police surveillance of two armed robbery suspects, authorities said.

One of the critically injured officers was shot in the face and the other was hit in the neck, according to Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

As soon as they started to break down the door into the apartment, one suspect started firing, his bullets piercing the apartment’s walls and through the halfway open door. The first officer inside the door was struck in the neck. The second officer who, was right behind him, was shot in the face, Chief Comey said.

A furious exchange of bullets followed, and the two suspects were fatally wounded. Officers hurried to carry their wounded colleagues down the flight of stairs to rush them to the hospital.

A little more than three hours later, Dr. Holmes, at the New Jersey Medical Center, was standing among other hospital and law enforcement officials expressing his amazement. The officer shot in the face had no vital signs at first. “So the fact that we can talk about him being in surgery is a minor miracle,” Dr. Holmes said.