Published on June 2 | Last updated on June 5
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — An Atlantic City police officer was critically wounded after officials said he and another officer were shot while carrying out a search warrant on Tuesday.
The shooting happened around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, near Florida and Arctic avenues. Atlantic City police were executing a search warrant at a home, and the situation escalated. When police arrived, the door was open but then shut by someone inside.
Police eventually broke down the door, and when they got inside, the suspect opened fire, hitting one officer in the helmet and another in the leg. A third officer shot and killed the suspect.
The New Jersey Attorney General's Office identified the suspect as 52-year-old Donald Gardner — also known as Donald Capriotti — and the third officer as Officer Robert Reynolds.
The two injured officers were taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, where authorities said one of them, Sgt. Christian Ivanov, is receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries. The other officer was treated and released. Reynolds was not wounded.
The New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association set up a GoFundMe for Ivanov, a husband and father of three. Officials said he is in “stable but serious condition” but making positive progress in recovery.
“He definitely has a long road ahead of him but he is a fighter,” Police Chief James Sarkos told our partners at NBC10. “He is a tough guy. We are very fortunate to have him as a member of our agency as one of our sergeants.”
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is investigating the incident and will be required to present its findings to a grand jury, which is standard procedure for all fatal officer-involved shootings in the state.
"The fine men and women in blue of the Atlantic City Police Department put their lives on the line every day to protect our community, and I am grateful for their courage," said Mayor Marty Small, who offered his prayers to the officers, their families and colleagues in a statement. "We are hopeful for their full and speedy recovery."
Police shot and killed the suspect
Police shot and killed the suspect
