When you’re robbing a home, best make sure it’s not owned by any armed citizens, especially an off-duty cop.
According to a report at NJ.com, shortly after midnight Monday, 19-year-old Tyreek Cook was burglarizing a Manville, N.J., home when he encountered the owner—a policeman who was off duty. After a struggle, Cook was shot in the chest and is now under a police guard at a local trauma center in critical condition.
Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson said after a preliminary investigation, Cook is now the chief suspect in several other area burglaries. However, currently he is only charged with the third-degree burglary that ended with his shooting. The officer was also transported to a hospital and treated for injuries received during the scuffle, as well as traumatic stress. Michael Herrera, a neighbor who heard the shooting, told reporters, “It’s a little scary. So you’ve got to wonder how you are going to protect your wife and kids.”