44°
Jason Urban, 42, of Passaic was carrying the revolver made famous by Clint Eastwood’s character in the movie “Dirty Harry” when officers responding to a call of shots fired at Lackawanna Place and Passaic Avenue near the city train station found him shortly before 6:30 p.m. May 10, they said.
Urban “fired several rounds from the handgun into the air,” Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. “Responding officers gave him verbal commands to drop the firearm, which he disregarded.
“After firing the rounds in the air, Urban pointed the firearm in the direction of a Passaic police officer,” the prosecutor said.
And that was that.
A second officer fired eight rounds, Valdes said.
Half of them hit Urban, witnesses said.
He survived the shooting after being taken in custody to nearby Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center, the prosecutor said.
Urban was discharged on Monday, May 15 and has remained held in the Bergen County Jail, charged with aggravated assault and a host of weapons counts -- including possessing a firearm as a convicted felon -- among other offenses.
The recovered handgun was a Smith & Wesson that had been reported stolen out of Stroudsburg, PA, she said.
"A resident was the first to call it in," Passaic Mayor Hector Carlos Lora told Daily Voice immediately after the shooting. "Her immediate concern and action aided our police tremendously in responding so quickly.
“She along with all who called 911 and our police are heroes and prevented any further injuries or tragedies."
State authorities signaled their faith that it was a clean shoot when they appointed Valdes to handle the mandatory investigation. The review is required by state law and guidelines drawn by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin’s office.
Kyle Mazza/UNF News took the photos and contributed to this story.
Click here to follow Daily Voice North Hunterdon and receive free news updates.
