Off-Duty Police Officer Shot And Killed In Paterson
Off-Duty Police Officer Shot And Killed In Paterson
Police Searching For Shooter
POSTED: 9:37 am EST January 7, 2007
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PATERSON, N.J. -- A 23-year-old off-duty city police officer was shot and killed on Sunday morning during the attempted robbery of a chicken restaurant, police said.
Police were withholding the name of the officer pending notification of the victim's family.
A 42-year-old man was also shot during the confrontation but is in stable condition at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson.
Police said they responded to a call about a shooting at Broadway Chicken at Broadway and East 18th Street at about 1:17 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived, they found the two men shot. Both were taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center.
The off-duty officer was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:05 a.m.
Police said they are still trying to determine what led up to the shooting and are searching for the shooter, according to NewsChannel 4.
The off-duty officer had been with the Paterson Police Department since April 2006 and was the father of a 1-year-old child.
Cops release sketch of Paterson cop murder suspect
Cops release sketch of Paterson cop murder suspect23-year-old rookie officer Tyron Franklin gunned down in Paterson, NJ
Eyewitness News
(Paterson, NJ - WABC, January 9, 2007) - Police in New Jersey released a sketch they hope will help lead them to a cop killer.
The sketch is of a robbery suspect who investigators say killed a Paterson police officer over the weekend.
Officer Tyron Franklin was gunned down early Sunday while off-duty and unarmed. Investigators say the suspect shot officer Franklin during a botched hold up at a take-out restaurant.
Officer Franklin was only 23-years-old.
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Off-Duty Cop Shot And Killed in Paterson
Last Edited: Sunday, 07 Jan 2007, 5:00 PM EST
Created: Sunday, 07 Jan 2007, 4:03 PM EST
Paterson, N.J., Police Officer Tyron Franklin, 23, was shot and killed Sunday after a man tried to rob him. SideBar
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By JANET FRANKSTON LORIN
Associated Press Writer
PATERSON, N.J. (AP) -- A 23-year-old off-duty city police officer was shot and killed early Sunday morning after a man tried to rob him at a restaurant, police said.
The officer was identified as Tyron Franklin, a rookie patrolman who had been with the department since April.
A 42-year-old man was also shot during the confrontation, but was in stable condition with non life-threatening wounds at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson.
Police said they responded to a call of a shooting at Broadway Fried Chicken at about 1:17 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived, they found the two men shot.
Both were taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center. The off-duty officer was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:05 a.m.
Police said they are searching for at least one person involved in the shooting.
It appeared that Franklin, who was on his day off and dressed in plain clothes, had taken out money to pay for food at the restaurant when a man tried to rob him. A struggle ensued and Franklin was shot with a handgun several times, said police Lt. Anthony Traina, who declined to elaborate.
Franklin, who had a 16-month-old son, was a graduate of Westwood High School and grew up in the Bergen County town.
Police on Sunday had an entire block around the restaurant closed to traffic with yellow police tape, with curious onlookers on corners nearby.
Among the onlookers was Paterson City Councilman Anthony Davis, who said he met the rookie officer several times. Davis said he knew Franklin through his Franklin's father, a retired fire captain in Paterson.
"He was a fine young man," Davis said of Franklin. "His dad wanted him to become a fireman, but he wanted to become a police officer."
Paterson Mayor Jose Torres said there was a $11,000 reward for information on the shooter.
Back in Franklin's hometown of Westwood, police outside the home of his parents said friends and family gathered inside on Sunday afternoon weren't ready yet to speak with the media.
His former high school principal, however, couldn't say enough good things about the young officer.
Westwood High school Principal Patrick Bower described Franklin as a gregarious athlete who played football and wrestled, always with a friendly face.
"Outgoing, big smile, hardworking kid," he said.
"I really enjoyed him. When I say his name, I see his smile come right to my mind," Bower added. "It's a definite loss for the community, no question."
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