About 24 hours after the incident, Alterman spent the entire
day with members to figure out where each was, what they did
and saw based on what they could recall at any given time.
In addition, this case was unusual because of its extreme
chaos as well as the multitude of officers, suspects and civilians
involved – in excess of 20 people hit by gunfire. Which is why, in
Alterman’s professional opinion, the officers reacted with such
restraint and professionalism.
“They were each able to assess the scene and react appropri-
ately pursuant to their training and experience,” he continued.
“Their individual use of force was limited to exactly what was
needed in order to stop the threat that each individual officer
encountered during what would otherwise be called a true me-
lee.”
And the response of legal leadership helped the judicial sys-
tem understand as much.
“I had to make sure that I knew where that gunfire came
from, that my clients were clear and that they didn’t acciden-
tally hit an innocent,” he elaborated. “There’s an investigation
that I have to perform before I get to a point where I’m confi-
dent for my clients to make statements.”
Following what he described as “an absolute pleasure work-
ing with Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri and his staff
in a time of immediate uncertainty and stress,” Alterman stat-
ed that all involved officers have given their statements, been
debriefed and are back to work.
“It’s been determined that they’re fit for duty,” Alterman at-
te sted, “and in my opinion, they’re out of the woods.”
The Law Firm of
Alterman & Associates, LLC
Stuart J. Alterman, Esquire
Jeffrey S. Ziegelheim, Esquire
Arthur J. Murray, Esquire
Timothy J. Prol, Esquire
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