Two detectives were shot this morning as they were resolving a domestic violence dispute at a Trenton, New Jersey home. The shooter was shot and killed by the detectives after they fired back.
The detectives were identified as 15-year veteran Jim Letts and 30-year-veteran Edgar Rios. One of them was shot in the shoulder and the other was shot in the back. Letts is now out of surgery and there is no word on Rios’ condition yet.
According to Philly.com the detectives responded to a domestic violence call at 2:30 a.m. early Thursday. They took the victim to the police station, filed an arrest warrant for the abuser, and were taking her home at 8:43 a.m. Thursday morning when they saw her boyfriend walking out of the home. She identified him as her abuser right before he pulled out a revolver and opened fire on the detectives.
The detectives shot back and the shooter died on the scene. Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini explains the extremity of domestic violence situations.
"When you walk into a domestic violence situation, you never know what's going to happen," Bocchini said, ABC reports. "It can just become crazy and out-of-control."