A retired police officer in New Jersey killed himself at police headquarters

A retired police lieutenant fatally shot himself inside a police headquarters in New Jersey after he was arrested over a domestic violence incident with his wife, who is also a cop.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office says 58-year-old Patrick Montella was being processed Tuesday at the Bloomfield Police Department when he shot himself.

Montella is a retired Newark's police officer.

On January 15 Montella was arrested regarding a domestic violence altercation with his wife Corrine at their home. Corrine is an active police officer with the Newark Police Department, NJ.com reports.

Upon the official booking process Montella was in the process of being released on a summons when he lunged for his old service weapon -- which had been collected during his arrest -- and intentionally shot himself in the head.

Montella was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

In a statement, Bloomfield Police Director Samuel DeMaio said:

"We have policies in place to ensure that tragedies like this do not happen. We are carefully reviewing all facts, body camera footage, in house camera footage and car camera footage to find out where the breakdown was. We will take appropriate corrective actions when the investigation is complete.”

State pension records show Montella retired from the Newark Police Department in May 2011.

159 police officers committed suicide in 2018. Texas and California had the highest amount at 12 each.