Shots fired during incident involving off-duty cop, authorities say

Authorities say an off-duty detective discharged two rounds from his service weapon during an interaction with an armed man outside a restaurant in Elizabeth Saturday.

Luis Orlando Ruiz-Chicaz, 21, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault by pointing a firearm and two related weapons offenses as a result of the incident, Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park said in a press release Sunday evening.

According to authorities, police responded to the corner of 5th Street and Broadway outside a restaurant Saturday at about 8:30 p.m. When they arrived, investigators learned that the detective, who's name has not been released, fired two shots when he realized that Ruiz-Chicaz was armed with a handgun.

"An investigation into the incident by the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Unit remains ongoing. No one was known to have been injured during the incident," the prosecutor's press release states. "The detective arrested Ruiz-Chicaz, after which a loaded revolver was recovered at the scene."

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Christopher Scuorzo at 908-472-0492.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor for news at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.