Off-Duty Newark Cop Arrested For Pointing Gun
BY Herschel Smith
9 years, 1 month ago
A veteran city police officer was reassigned from his regular duties following an off-duty incident in Woodbridge that ended with his arrest on assault and weapons-related charges, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Newark Police Department Detective Andre Evans, 41, was arrested and charged on Oct. 25 by Woodbridge police after he allegedly pointed his service weapon at a civilian during an early-morning verbal confrontation, confirmed township police spokesman Capt. Roy Hoppock.
Newark police authorities were alerted to Evans’ arrest following the incident, and he has since been reassigned from his duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation of the incident, said department spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover.
A fourteen-year police veteran, Evans rose through the ranks to eventually join the department’s Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Division, according to his Linkedin profile.
Reached by phone Thursday, Evans declined to comment on the allegations and referred questions to his attorney James Nolan. Attempts to reach Nolan for comment were unsuccessful.
According to authorities, the incident began at approximately 1 a.m. outside a township steakhouse in the 100 block of Oakwood Avenue.
Evans and a 54-year-old North Carolina man were arguing inside the restaurant parking lot when Evans allegedly pointed a firearm at the man’s face, Hoppock said. The weapon appeared to be Evans’s service weapon, Hoppock confirmed.
Witness statements provided to police indicate that an employee of the restaurant was able to secure the gun until police arrived at the scene, Hoppock said. Neither Evans or the man, whose name was not released, sustained injuries during the incident, he added.
Following the incident, Evans was placed under arrest and later charged with one count each of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, Hoppock said.
A veteran city police officer was reassigned from his regular duties following an off-duty incident in Woodbridge that ended with his arrest on assault and weapons-related charges, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Newark Police Department Detective Andre Evans, 41, was arrested and charged on Oct. 25 by Woodbridge police after he allegedly pointed his service weapon at a civilian during an early-morning verbal confrontation, confirmed township police spokesman Capt. Roy Hoppock.
Newark police authorities were alerted to Evans’ arrest following the incident, and he has since been reassigned from his duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation of the incident, said department spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover.
A fourteen-year police veteran, Evans rose through the ranks to eventually join the department’s Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Division, according to his Linkedin profile.
Reached by phone Thursday, Evans declined to comment on the allegations and referred questions to his attorney James Nolan. Attempts to reach Nolan for comment were unsuccessful.
According to authorities, the incident began at approximately 1 a.m. outside a township steakhouse in the 100 block of Oakwood Avenue.
Evans and a 54-year-old North Carolina man were arguing inside the restaurant parking lot when Evans allegedly pointed a firearm at the man’s face, Hoppock said. The weapon appeared to be Evans’s service weapon, Hoppock confirmed.
Witness statements provided to police indicate that an employee of the restaurant was able to secure the gun until police arrived at the scene, Hoppock said. Neither Evans or the man, whose name was not released, sustained injuries during the incident, he added.
Following the incident, Evans was placed under arrest and later charged with one count each of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, Hoppock said.
One commenter says:
If a person is 6’8″ , athletic and points his fist at a short fat guy , is that also assault in NJ? In most states assault begins when the fist is thrown or the gun is fired.
No, no, no, no, and a thousand times no! Assault isn’t limited to the act of hitting, shooting, kicking or otherwise harming. That’s battery. Assault can and does include within its purview creating the perception that any of those things will occur.
… an intentional act by one person that creates an apprehension in another of an imminent harmful or offensive contact. An assault is carried out by a threat of bodily harm coupled with an apparent, present ability to cause the harm.
This has broad implications for carriers, but if I was a betting man, I’d favor odds that the LEO will return to the beat with his rank and firearm.
On November 2, 2015 at 1:24 pm, Scrapple said:
Reading NJ.com too often has been known to cause cancer. I would avoid it. Nothing good ever happens there.
On November 2, 2015 at 1:52 pm, Herschel Smith said:
But it gives us a chance to sneer at them.
On November 2, 2015 at 3:54 pm, Jim Jones said:
The mere act of pointing a gun in the direction of another human being can be a felony, depending on your state’s law The law does not take kindly to individuals breaking one of the 4 gun safety cardinal rules, given that it is a deadly weapon and the recipient of the point has no way of knowing whether the weapon is loaded. Of course I expect the “only ones” to get away with it in NJ.
On November 2, 2015 at 4:39 pm, Jack Crabb said:
The pig was arrested?! Wow, a man-bites-dog story.
Have no fear though, sheeple. Nothing will happen to this pig. His firearm, job an pension will all be intact when its all said and done.
On November 2, 2015 at 7:50 pm, SunwolfNC said:
Glad to see at least that dept. isnt’ afraid to police their own; pending the final result, of course. I wager the case will drag out for just long enough for the media to turn away…
Also, not to nit pick but the article information is posted back to back.