LACEY TOWNSHIP — A Pine Beach police officer was suspended today after he shot his friend in the leg and was allegedly driving while drunk, authorities said.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said his office is investigating the incident involving 23-year-old police officer Jesse Urban. The shooting happened shortly before 6 a.m.

Coronato did not release details about the shooting and said the circumstances surrounding what he said was the accidental discharge of Urban’s weapon are under investigation.

He said Urban, who was off duty at the time, called 911 from the parking area of the 7-Eleven convenience store at 403 Main St. When Lacey police arrived, they found Urban's friend, a 23-year-old resident of the Forked River section of town with a gunshot wound to his leg, Coronato said

The initial investigation indicates that the shooting may not have occurred at the store, said Al DellaFave, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

The victim, who was not identified, suffered injuries that are not life threatening and was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was undergoing surgery, the prosecutor said.

Coronato said the initial investigation shows Urban, who lives in Lacey, called 911 to report that his friend was injured during an accidental shooting.

The prosecutor said that because there was evidence that Urban had consumed alcohol and driven his car, Urban was charged with driving under the influence.

Pine Beach Police Chief Reese Fisher has suspended Urban without pay pending the results of the investigation. The investigation is being conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, in conjunction with the Pine Beach and Lacey Township police departments.

Urban, who is on the department since last June, is one of two Pine Beach police officers injured when a Belmar man caused a crash during a traffic stop last July.



MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.