Camden police kill teen suspect
The boy, 17, wielding a knife, threatened his family and neighbors, authorities say.
A Camden police officer shot and killed a knife-wielding 17-year-old boy Friday night, authorities said.
It was the second fatal shooting in a week involving Camden police.
About 10:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at Bank and Pfeiffer Streets, said acting Camden County Prosecutor Joshua M. Ottenberg and Camden City Police Executive Arturo Venegas in a joint statement.
A mother had fled her home as her son, identified as Kashon Smith of the Ablett Village Apartments, threatened the family with a knife.
Authorities said they did not know what had led to the dispute.
Smith followed his mother to a neighbor's home, where she called police, according to the statement.
The police officer arrived as Smith, still clutching a knife, screamed at the neighbor's family on their porch, according to the statement.
Smith ignored the officer's commands to put down the knife and moved toward members of the family, the statement said. After repeated warnings, the officer fired, authorities said.
The officer, whose name is being withheld pending an investigation, is a 14-year veteran of the Camden Police Department. He is on paid administrative leave while the Camden County Prosecutor's Office investigates.
On Monday, Officer Gary Towers killed a crime suspect who police said had fired at officers. Towers, 33, was on patrol when he saw a Ford Taurus matching the description of a car sought in an investigation, authorities said.
Braxton Lane, 28, a passenger in the car, jumped out and ran down an alley. Towers followed Lane in his cruiser, and Lane fired at least three shots at it. Towers and another officer eventually pursued Lane on foot. Lane was killed in a resulting shoot-out.