Elizabeth police shoot at getaway car that hit officer

ELIZABETH — Police officers opened fired at a possible robbery suspect’s car that struck an officer as it sped away, officials said Saturday.

Authorities do not believe anyone was hurt by the gunfire.

It was the second shooting by police in the northern part of New Jersey in two days. On Friday, police in Kearny shot and injured a suspected shoplifter who also was speeding away in a car. The Kearny officer feared the suspect was going to run him over.

The Elizabeth incident happened after midnight on Washington Avenue when a group of police officers having dinner at a restaurant noticed a parked car on the street that matched a description to a car used in a recent robbery.

The officers went outside to investigate and identified themselves to a man near the car. Police said they noticed that he had a gun.

The man then got into his car and took off, striking one of the officers. The cop suffered some cuts and was treated and released from a hospital.

The man, who was identified as Farris Mangoub Taielkrim, 21, of Elizabeth, was found and arrested later in Orange and charged with second-degree aggravated assault on a police officer.

Police found a gun on Taielkrim, but authorities Saturday afternoon had not charged him with any weapons offenses or with charges stemming from any robbery.

Taielkrim was being held at Union County Jail in Elizabeth with bail set at $150,000.

The officers who fired their weapons are facing a routine investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors did not release an arrest booking photo for Taielkrim.

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-438-1015 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.