TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey's attorney general has concluded a state trooper used justifiable force when he shot a 76-year-old man inside a home mistakenly linked to a 911 call.
Gerald Sykes thought he was defending his Upper Deerfield home from intruders late on July 29. In reality, he was confronting two troopers who went to the home when a disconnected 911 call was mistakenly traced to Sykes' address.
The troopers told authorities they saw Sykes holding a revolver and shotgun when they went to his back door. They said he pointed the guns in their direction before one trooper fired four shots, striking him in the chest and upper groin.
The second trooper suffered a graze wound when Sykes returned fire.
The attorney general's office report released Friday concluded the trooper felt he was in immediate danger.
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