Keansburg, NJ cop recovering from stabbing at pharmacy

KEANSBURG — An officer remains hospitalized after he was stabbed Thursday afternoon while responding to a pharmacy robbery that ended in police fatally shooting the suspect.

Keansburg police received several 911 calls about the robbery at Keansburg Pharmacy about 3:20 p.m.

"Multiple officers" fired their service weapons at the robber after the stabbing, according to state Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bruck did not disclose how many shots were fired, what led up to the stabbing or the identities of the officers and suspect. Initial reports about the incident described it as a hostage situation.

The veteran officer was still hospitalized at Hackensack Meridian Health Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel as of Friday afternoon for additional surgery on his arm, Keansburg Mayor George Hoff told New Jersey 101.5.

State rules require that the state Attorney General's Office investigate any death during an encounter with a law enforcement officer.

Friends of the man who was shot told CBS New York he had previous struggles with mental illness and addiction.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ