The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office issued a statement Wednesday saying the state Attorney General on Aug. 25 agreed that the 2013 shooting was justified.
TRENTON - A Trenton police detective was justified when he shot and killed Eric McNeil two years ago during a gun battle that started when McNeil open fired on him and another detective outside a Hobart Avenue house, authorities said Wednesday.
The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office issued a statement Wednesday saying the state Attorney General's office on Aug. 25 agreed with the prosecutor's finding that the 2013 shooting was justified, in accordance with new statewide guidelines surrounding police-involved shootings.
The Attorney General's ruling allows the case to bypass a grand jury, according to the statement.
Without naming the officers, the Attorney General's Office determined that the officers' actions were necessary and reasonable during the Aug. 15, 2013, shootout on Hobart Avenue.
"After analyzing all of the facts and circumstances of this incident within the context of the use-of-force policy promulgated by the New Jersey Attorney General, it is the conclusion of the office that Detective 1 used an acceptable level of force in unholstering, pointing and firing his weapon at McNeil,'' the statement said.
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Detective 1 appears to be Detective James Letts and Detective 2 Edgar Rios, based on prior reports.
Rios and Letts each were shot and rushed into emergency surgery at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton following the shooting that killed McNeil, 23.
McNeil had beaten and kicked his girlfriend and stabbed her 3-week-old puppy to death during a domestic violence incident that occurred inside her home on the first block of Hobart Avenue around 2:30 a.m. that day.
McNeil, who three months before was released from state prison where he served more than four years on robbery and weapons charges, also destroyed property in the woman's house, prosecutors said.
Letts and Rios returned the house with a Mercer County sheriff's office crime scene detective and the victim around 8:43 a.m. McNeil unexpectedly emerged from the house and fired at least three times with a .38-caliber revolver, striking the officers.
In the statement, Detective 1 is described as shooting McNeil while wounded.
"Detective 1 was knocked to the ground after being shot, but he was able to return gunfire from the ground, striking the suspect as he stood on the sidewalk pointing his gun at Detective 1," the report says. "As Detective 1 was attempting to stand, he observed the suspect still holding the gun and attempting to stand up. Detective 1 again fired his weapon, striking and killing the suspect."
Detective 1 was then able to stand and handcuff McNeil, the report says.
During the gunfight, Detective 2 was able to get to the detectives' police car and call for help.
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The investigation into the shooting also revealed that McNeil had sent a text message to a family member earlier that morning that read: "I might not be alive this whole day so ima tell you now dat I love you," prosecutors said.
Rios and Lettscwere honored at the White House in 2014 by President Barack Obama for their actions that day. Also honored was Mercer County Sheriff's Officer William Miller, who was with Rios and Letts during the shooting, but not wounded.
Letts has returned to work full time.
Rios, who was more seriously injured, was in a medically-induced coma following the shooting and endured multiple surgeries during his extended hospital stay. He never returned to the force, and retired in 2014.
"They ran toward the danger -- not away from it," Obama said during the White House ceremony on May 12, 2014. "And they risked their lives to save the lives of others."
Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.