BELLEVILLE — The Belleville Police officers who shot and killed a chef while responding to a report of domestic violence in his home fired 30 rounds, striking the man two dozen times in a matter of seconds, prosecutors said.

Dante Cespedes, 40, was shot 24 times around 2 a.m. on Tuesday by Belleville Police after his wife accused him of physical abuse inside the family's Lake Street home, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said today.

Earlier today, sources told The Star-Ledger Cespedes was shot approximately 25 times.

Murray said the incident was over in a matter of seconds. Cespedes was shot in the torso and head, according to Murray, who warned against passing judgment on the case based on the number of rounds fired.

“The number of shots alone does not lead to any conclusions," she said.

The officers went to Cespedes' home after his wife went to the township's police headquarters and said he was physically abusing her. Murray said Cespedes' wife, who was not identified, brought the couple's four children to the police station with her.

Four officers were sent to arrest Cespedes for assault and serve him with a temporary restraining order when the deadly exchange occurred. It remains unclear how much time elapsed between the assault complaint and the fatal shooting.

Cespedes allegedly lunged at the officers with a pair of knives, Murray said, and three of the officers opened fire. It is not clear how many shots were fired by each cop.

Cespedes was the only person in the home at the time of the shooting, Murray said.

A native of Peru, Cespedes has worked as a relief chef at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City for approximately seven years, according to hotel manager Gary Budge. He was at work on Monday until 3:30 p.m., according to Budge, who said the hotel staff was "shocked and saddened" by his death.

Attempts to reach Cespedes' family were not returned. His Facebook profile indicates he was a father of four.

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