Old Bridge police shoot, kill 75-year-old man

OLD BRIDGE – A 75-year-old man was fatally shot Wednesday during a confrontation with police following a disturbance at the man's 40 Cedar Grove Place home.

Talbot Schroeder was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:27 a.m., Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said. Carey said an Old Bridge police officer had repeatedly warned Schroeder to drop a knife.

According to Carey, a preliminary investigation indicates the man had confronted the officer, whose identity officials did not reveal. A large kitchen knife was recovered at the scene, officials said.

The investigation further showed that before firing one shot, police had attempted to calm the man and repeatedly ordered him to drop the knife, Carey said.

Old Bridge police were called to the home around 5:54 a.m. to quell a disturbance and found a man who appeared distraught. The man allegedly had attacked a family member and threatened another family member and injured himself with a knife, Carey said.

Carey said the relative who was attacked was not seriously injured.

Police immediately contacted the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, which took control of the investigation and notified the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General in accordance with state guidelines.

Reactions

Neighbors in the quiet, residential neighborhood off Route 9 were shocked to wake up to find police at the Schroeder's home.

Carol Ray, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 50 years, said she went outside at about 7:15 a.m. and saw police cars.

"Police were canvassing the area to see if we heard anything, but we didn't," Ray said. "The police said the neighborhood was safe."

Schroeder lived in the home with his wife and a son.

"They are very nice," Ray said. "I've known them for many years. They are a very close family. They are friendly with all the neighbors. No problems."

She said she was surprised when she heard the news.

"I never expected it," she said.

Another neighbor said she was alerted to the police presence by her husband, who leaves for work at about 6:15 a.m.

"He called me and told me there was something was going on," she said. "He told me to lock the doors."

Another neighbor said they noticed police at the home at about 6:30 a.m.

"When we looked out, the police were there and the yellow tape was already around," he said, adding that the Schroeders were "good people."

"Whatever it is, it is one of those terrible tragedies," he said.

Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry said the incident is "tragic."

"Anytime a police officer is put into a situation where they have to use deadly force it is taken seriously," he said. "We 100 percent support our policemen and we hope they are never put in this position."

Police use of force

This is the first incident of a police-involved shooting or death in Central Jersey since the controversies erupted over the August shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the Staten Island incident in which Eric Garner died after allegedly being placed in a chokehold by a New York City officer. In both cases, grand juries declined to indict the officers, leading to widespread demonstrations and a national conversation on police policies.

While use of force incidents in Central Jersey are rare, they do occur.

The last time an Old Bridge officer fired his weapon at a person was Nov. 20, 2013, in South Brunswick, where Old Bridge Police Officer Bryan Doel responded as part of the Middlesex County Special Operations Response Team to a standoff situation.

In that case, 28-year-old Andrew Murnieks, who suffered from schizophrenia, barricaded himself at home for several hours before the SORT arrived. Murnieks was shot by a single bullet. A spokesman for the state Attorney General's Office said Tuesday that the incident remains under investigation.

Also in 2013, Perth Amboy police fatally shot a schizophrenic man, Dixon Rodriguez, who police said attacked them with a knife. His family denies he was armed and say police, who were cleared by the prosecutor of any wrongdoing, planted the weapon.

While he could not speak specifically on the Old Bridge incident, in which the investigation is active and continuing, James O'Neill, spokesman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, said when there is a police-related shooting, the prosecutor's office is notified and investigators from the office are sent to the scene and gather evidence.

"The local police are removed from the case," he said. "We handle it and we notify the state attorney general's office. We'll review it and at some point the prosecutor makes a decision on what to do with the case."

The prosecutor may find a shooting was justified or the case may be presented to a grand jury, he said.

The state attorney general's office is kept abreast of the investigation and also reviews the prosecutor's findings, he said.

If there are any alleged violations of departmental regulations, the prosecutor's office will notify municipal police departments, which would review and consider sanctions, where appropriate, O'Neill said.

"There are several checks in place in the system," he said.

While he hadn't heard about the Old Bridge incident as of yet on Wednesday afternoon, Richard Rivera, chairman of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey's Civil Rights Protection Project, said "unfortunately, deadly force incidents with New Jersey police officers are increasing in recent years."

"Police need better training and more use of force less lethal options when dealing with these situations," he said. "We advocate for better training and additional less-lethal force options for all New Jersey officers including stun guns, also known as Tasers. "Many deadly force encounters can be avoided with better training and understanding. When someone is killed or injured it is a tragedy for the family of the deceased, the community and the police as well. It is our goal to assist police agencies in making better decisions on policy, training and equipment needed for interacting with the public."

Suzanne Russell and Sergio Bichao contributed to this report.

Staff Writer Susan Loyer: 732-565-7243: sloyer@mycentraljersey.com