An off-duty Trenton officer was struggling with a man over a gun when the man was shot in the chest.
TRENTON -- Mayor Eric Jackson said Monday he has faith in the objectiveness of the investigation of the incident in which a Trenton police officer fatally shot a man Saturday night.
Jackson said he was briefed by the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office about the confrontation outside a home on Roosevelt Street in West Ward at about 9:50 p.m. Saturday.
The prosecutor's office has said an off-duty Trenton officer was struggling with Alfred Toe, 34, over control of a gun when Toe was wounded in the chest. He died a short time later at a Trenton hospital.
Trenton mayor Eric Jackson at a public safety forum in this March 2016 file photo. (Michael Mancuso | For NJ.com ) "As always, the Trenton Police Department is cooperating fully with the prosecutor's office in this incident," Jackson said in a statement.
"I have full faith and confidence that the investigation will be conducted professionally and objectively while being brought to its conclusion," Jackson said.
Meanwhile, an autopsy performed on Alfred Toe Monday officially found his death was caused by the single gunshot wound to his chest, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said.
The finding was expected, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, also expected, Onofri said.
Onofri said many aspects of the shooting remain under investigation. The prosecutor's office has given this preliminary account:
The officer, who authorities have not named, was attending a family gathering following a funeral when Alfred Toe and his brother Constantine Toe, 30, started struggling over a gun.
Constantine Toe was shot in the hand while disarming his brother.
The officer intervened, drew his handgun and ordered Constantine Toe to the ground and disarmed him.
"While the officer had his own gun in one hand and the gun taken from Toe in the other, Alfred Toe attempted to gain control of one of the weapons," First Assistant Prosecutor Doris Galuchie said in a statement. "During the struggle, Alfred Toe was shot once in the chest."
Multiple law enforcement sources identified the Trenton officer as Sheehan Miles.
Onofri, without naming the officer, said Trenton police have placed him on paid leave, a routine move following a police-involved shooting.
The incident is being investigated by the prosecutor's Homicide Task Force with oversight from the state Attorney General's Office.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.