Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office

                                 25 Kirkpatrick Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901 (732) 745-3300

 

                              *News Release*                 Date: September 23, 2011

 
 
 

       

 

 

 

 

 

Investigation continuing

 

 

          Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan today outlined an extensive investigation as part of a continuing and exhaustive effort to determine exactly what transpired when a city man was fatally shot during an incident involving two New Brunswick police officers.

 

Additionally, Prosecutor Kaplan said the two officers involved in the incident, one a member of the police department for 2 ½ years, and the other, an officer with more than six years in the department, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

 

The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded today that Barry E. Deloatch (DOB 11/9/64) of New Brunswick died from a single gunshot wound that pierced his left side and struck his aorta.

 

Mr. Deloatch was shot in an alley between two homes on Throop Avenue in New Brunswick at 12:12 a.m. on September 22, 2011, during a foot pursuit involving the two officers.

 

Mr. Deloatch was pronounced dead at 12:37 a.m. at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

 

Preliminarily, the investigation has shown that the two officers, while on routine patrol, stopped to question three men, including Mr. Deloatch, who fled.

 

The officers followed Mr. Deloatch into the alley, where a struggle ensued and resulted in the shooting.

 

The initial investigation revealed that Mr. Deloatch was not in possession of a firearm, but the investigation is continuing to determine if he was in possession of any other weapon and whether it was used against either of the officers during the struggle.

 

Investigators have developed numerous details concerning the incident, and have collected evidence from the scene of the shooting. Forensic analysis of the evidence will be conducted. The facts and evidence cannot be disclosed, since they are part of an active investigation.

 

However, the investigation has involved interviews with more than a dozen people who have helped investigators piece together details of the shooting.

 

Included were interviews with police officers who were either involved directly in the pursuit, or who responded as back-up; interviews with rescue workers who arrived at the scene of the shooting, and civilian witnesses who reported hearing gunfire.

 

Additionally, ranking officers of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office have been keeping the Deloatch family apprised of progress in the investigation since Mr. Deloatch was killed.

 

As in every case, it is the intention of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office to conduct a comprehensive, thorough and unbiased investigation into this incident, and all the resources of the office are being fully utilized to bring this case to a just conclusion.

 

Accordingly, there is no timetable for completion of this investigation, and it is not possible beforehand to describe the steps that will lead the investigation to conclusion.

 

Whenever possible, details will be disclosed as they become available.

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Jeffrey Temple of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3373.