NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A man wanted in connection to a New York criminal investigation fatally shot himself inside of his van after cops pulled him over in New Jersey last week, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
According to the preliminary investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, officers from the Woodbridge Police Department pulled over a van at a gas station on Route 9 in Woodbridge Township on June 14 at around 6:30 p.m.
Cops then learned that the man had an active National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant for an active criminal investigation in Nassau County. A spokesperson for the Nassau County District Attorney's Office told NJ.com that they are unaware of the incident.
According to prosecutors, police requested the driver to exit the van, but he refused. The man then moved to the back of the van, concealing himself behind a curtain and out of the officers' sight. In response, the officers broke the van's windows and used OC spray to get him to leave the vehicle.
About 15 minutes later, officers heard a loud noise that "sounded like a firework," according to prosecutors. Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene and discovered that the man had died from an apparent gunshot wound at around 8:30 p.m. The name of the man has not yet been released.
A non-police-issued shotgun was recovered from inside the van, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said that preliminary information indicates "no law enforcement officers fired their weapons."
The AG's office is investigating the incident.
