Woman saved by cop in shopping mall plans to sue township for $5M

**Buttercup** · 06-21-12, 06:05 PM

WOODBRIDGE — She was grabbed by a desperate parolee and who held her with a knife to her throat in Woodbridge Center Mall until a police officer shot and killed the man.

Now the woman, Ellen Shane, 62, of Carteret, plans to sue the township for $5 million, claiming it failed to protect public safety and that she was injured as a result of the officer’s acts.

Both Shane and her husband, Ronald Shane, "are suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome and both have been dramatized from this incident," according to the tort claim notice filed by their lawyer, David Corrigan of Eatontown.

The claim states the couple are seeking treatment from a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

Mayor John McCormac stood by the officer’s actions. "No lawsuit will change the fact our officer is a hero for saving her life," he said.

On March 8, Andres Garcia, 44, of Paterson, a convicted robber wanted for a parole violation, was fleeing police after a shoplifting incident in the mall. He grabbed Ellen Shane by her hair, pulled her away from her husband, held a knife to her throat and dragged her to the Sears store.

As Garcia held her, uniformed Woodbridge police Officer Edward Barrett Jr. who was working a security detail at the mall, shot the parolee in the head.

Court papers filed with the township state Garcia told the officer he would harm Ellen Shane if not allowed to leave.

"Instead of attempting to resolve the situation, Barrett took out his gun and shot the suspect while he was holding Mrs. Shane," the paper states.

It alleges township police, Barrett in particular, failed to provide proper safeguards or warning, violated state, county and local policies pertaining to shoplifting and were negligent in hiring, training and supervising personnel.

Rest of story here:

Woman held at knifepoint in Woodbridge Center Mall plans to sue township for $5M | NJ.com

**pgg** · 06-21-12, 06:09 PM

Fuck her. If this ever happens again they should just walk away and let the parolee slit her throat.

**pgg** · 06-21-12, 06:12 PM

I'm glad to see that all but one of the comments are in favor of the officer.

**Buttercup** · 06-21-12, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by pgg

Fuck her. If this ever happens again they should just walk away and let the parolee slit her throat.

This is one of the many parts of this story that really annoys me:

Court papers filed with the township state Garcia told the officer he would harm Ellen Shane if not allowed to leave.

"Instead of attempting to resolve the situation, Barrett took out his gun and shot the suspect while he was holding Mrs. Shane," the paper states.

IMO, the officer did resolve the situation.

**Aegis** · 06-21-12, 06:15 PM

"Instead of attempting to resolve the situation, Barrett took out his gun and shot the suspect while he was holding Mrs. Shane," the paper states.

Sounds to me like he did resolve the situation... permanently.

Doh! Buttercup post sniped me while I was typing!

**Bjohnson63** · 06-21-12, 07:16 PM

No good deed goes unpunished.

**Five-0** · 06-21-12, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by pgg

I'm glad to see that all but one of the comments are in favor of the officer.

That stupid news site is just like al dot com. Their staff will post crap to drive more comments.

**Pudge** · 06-21-12, 07:56 PM

They should give her just enough of a settlement to go buy a big cup of go fuck yourself.

**Cornfed1100** · 06-21-12, 08:50 PM

And I thought good marksmanship was always needed. It sounds to me like a miss may still have been a win. She should be ashamed of herself.

Tapatalk does not require a sobriety test to post.

**Ducky** · 06-21-12, 11:58 PM

How about we hook turn this idiot over to the same kids who bullied the old lady on the bus. They can sit there and lower the mean IQ together.

**Xiphos** · 06-22-12, 01:13 AM

Window licker. I hope you Google your name Ellen Shane and know society wishes Officer Barrett wasn't there to help you. You are a life sucking drain on your community and deserve to be discarded as the blood sucking leach you are. Ungrateful oxygen thief.

**pac201** · 06-22-12, 05:56 AM

The officer was working for the mall not the township, so why aren't they suing the mall?

And yeah, she can go suck sweat from a nasty spot...

**121Traffic** · 06-22-12, 07:13 AM

Every time I think I've gotten to the point where I can say, "Nothing shocks me anymore," some fucking stillborn, incomprehensibly greedy shithead like this comes along, and makes my jaw drop.

**mavriktu** · 06-22-12, 08:50 AM

Similar thing happened close to here back in the late 70s.Bank teller,kidnapped,pursuit,corne red,suspect gets out with gun to tellers head,sniper makes short work of the trial,and sentence.She sued because the sniper endangered her,!!!?????,Uhhhh I think the suspect was more of a danger,bitch.

**Rhino** · 06-22-12, 10:38 AM

She should sue the maggot's family, but they probably couldn't cough up $5 mil, so she goes after the deep pockets.

This is why I believe all civil courts should adopt a "loser pays" law. So that any loser in a civil trial is forced to pay the other party's attorney fees. This would cut out frivolous lawsuits overnight.

**lewisipso** · 06-22-12, 12:36 PM

"Instead of attempting to resolve the situation, Barrett took out his gun and shot the suspect while he was holding Mrs. Shane," the paper states.

Well I believe the officer wanted to hold hands and sing songs with the suspect to resolve the situation but unfortunately IT HAD A FUCKING KNIFE IN IT!

Moron. Enjoy your settlement since I doubt this will make it to trial.