What to Know A man was killed and three New Jersey police officers were injured after a shootout involving a rifle-wielding suspect in body armor

One officer was shot in both legs, while two other suffered lesser gunshot injuries; the suspect was killed after gunning down another man

The gunman's rifle was recovered at the scene, and police sources said he shot the other man following an argument

An unarmed father was killed and three New Jersey police officers were injured after a shootout involving a rifle-wielding suspect sporting body armor who was then killed by police Thursday, authorities and the father's mother said.



According to attorney general's office, police were called to the scene after reports of shots fired and a man being gunned down. The shooter fired at the man after an argument, police sources said, striking him in the chest.



The mother of the man killed by the shooter identified him Friday as 20-year-old Jason Caudle, a father of two young boys, ages 2 and 1. She said the gunman, identified by authorities Thursday as 39-year-old Kaizen Crossen, used to live next door to her son and the two apparently had words earlier this week.

Witnesses told News 4 the shooter appeared to be looking for someone specific as he walked around with a gun.

When officers arrived at the scene, the gunman appeared to be in full body armor — prepared for a shootout. Officials said cops exchanged gunfire with Crossen, killing him.

One officer was shot in both legs after 11:30 a.m. outside a home on Myrtle Avenue in Irvington, while the other two cops sustained lesser gunshot injuries. All three cops hurt in the shootout are expected to survive, officials said.

The officer shot in the legs was described by a source who saw him in the hospital as being in "good spirits" and able to speak on the phone with his wife. His name has not been released.

One of the other cops was grazed by a bullet during the shootout, while injuries to the other officer struck by gunfire were not immediately made clear, although none of the officers suffered injuries considered to be life-threatening.

Crossen and Caudle were taken to University Hospital in Newark, where they were pronounced dead.

The gunman's rifle was recovered at the scene, according to sources familiar with the case.

A number of other officers were taken to the hospital for precautionary purposes, officials said.

Chopper 4 showed a huge law enforcement and emergency response at the scene, with dozens of officers combing the area and going in and out of homes on a residential street. The area was totally shut down. Multiple ambulances responded and it appeared there were at least two dozen emergency response vehicles.



One person was seen being taken out of a home on a stretcher as emergency personnel performed CPR, though it wasn't clear if that person was the injured police officer.