Cop Shot During Undercover Buy in Garfield

Authorities say a police officer is in stable condition after he was shot during an undercover narcotics operation at a shopping center parking lot in northern New Jersey.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli says the undercover officer was in a vehicle parked in a Garfield shopping center with a suspect, carrying out a $400 transaction to buy marijuana. A second suspect approached the vehicle and became aggressive with the officer, shooting him twice during a scuffle.

Narcotics task force members monitoring the buy fired multiple times at the suspect, who is hospitalized with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

Two people were arrested at the scene, a third was arrested nearby.

Police are withholding the officer's name due to his undercover status. He's a nine-year veteran of the Paramus police.

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More coverage:

• Undercover Cop Shot in Busy NJ Shopping Complex, Suspect in Custody / NBC 4 New York