By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
Police have arrested the man they believe ambushed Fairfield police officer, Gerald Veneziano while he was on his way to work January 30.
Preye L. Roberts, 24, of Nutley is in custody and has been charged with attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Police say he shot officer Veneziano in a fit of road rage that left the officer fighting for his life after undergoing multiple operations.
Veneziano, 26, who identified Roberts through a photo line up from his hospital bed at the Kessler Rehabilitation Center in West Orange, told investigators that Roberts vehicle followed him from Clifton into Fairfield after a road rage incident.
Veneziano said he saw the suspects vehicle pull into a parking lot on Fairfield Road after he pulled into police headquarters parking lot.
He then turned his Passat Volkswagen around and drove back to the lot. He got out of the car, identifying himself as a police officer as he approached Robert's vehicle. Within seconds, the officer, who was not in uniform, says he was shot in his torso and neck multiple times. Officer Veneziano returned fired, 13 times before collapsing from his injuries.
Police say ballistics led them to Robert's who had already been arrested for an unrelated crime on February 13 by Union County police. Roberts allegedly fired a weapon on Route 22 and when Union Township Firearms Identification Unit entered the ammunition into the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS), they got a hit.
Markings on the ammunition from the February 13 incident, matched the shell casings found at the Veneziano crime scene breaking the two month old case wide open.
At the time of Veneziano's shooting, Robert's was driving a Black Dodge Caliber with the letter "W" in the license plate. This evidence coupled with the ballistics and photo line up, sealed Robert's arrest.
Mike Treshock, a neighbor of Robert's in Nutley described the 24-year-old as a mature young man who was raised well.
"Ten years ago when we moved into the neighborhood, he was the first one in the family to introduce himself," said Treshock.
Another neighbor who requested anonymity described Roberts as a "very respectful and wonderful kid" from a very good family.
"You couldn't ask for better neighbors," she said. Robert's was living with his parents and two sisters in Nutley.
If convicted on all charges, Roberts, who is being held at the Union County jail where he's been since his February 13 arrest, is under a $100,000 bond for the Union City incident and now has a $500,000 bond for the Fairfield shooting. If he is convicted on all of the charges relating to Veneziano, he faces up to thirty years in prison.
FAIRFIELD OFFICER SHOT
FAIRFIELD OFFICER SHOT IN TORSO, NECK
OFFICER VENEZIANO IN CRITICAL CONDITION
FAIRFIELD OFFICER FACING MORE SURGERY
Media Outlets must credit The Black Urban Times www.theblackurbantimes.com twitter.com/thebutmsdotcom facebook.com/theblackurbantimes
The Black Urban Times
Police have arrested the man they believe ambushed Fairfield police officer, Gerald Veneziano while he was on his way to work January 30.
Preye L. Roberts, 24, of Nutley is in custody and has been charged with attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Police say he shot officer Veneziano in a fit of road rage that left the officer fighting for his life after undergoing multiple operations.
Veneziano, 26, who identified Roberts through a photo line up from his hospital bed at the Kessler Rehabilitation Center in West Orange, told investigators that Roberts vehicle followed him from Clifton into Fairfield after a road rage incident.
Veneziano said he saw the suspects vehicle pull into a parking lot on Fairfield Road after he pulled into police headquarters parking lot.
He then turned his Passat Volkswagen around and drove back to the lot. He got out of the car, identifying himself as a police officer as he approached Robert's vehicle. Within seconds, the officer, who was not in uniform, says he was shot in his torso and neck multiple times. Officer Veneziano returned fired, 13 times before collapsing from his injuries.
Police say ballistics led them to Robert's who had already been arrested for an unrelated crime on February 13 by Union County police. Roberts allegedly fired a weapon on Route 22 and when Union Township Firearms Identification Unit entered the ammunition into the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS), they got a hit.
Markings on the ammunition from the February 13 incident, matched the shell casings found at the Veneziano crime scene breaking the two month old case wide open.
At the time of Veneziano's shooting, Robert's was driving a Black Dodge Caliber with the letter "W" in the license plate. This evidence coupled with the ballistics and photo line up, sealed Robert's arrest.
Mike Treshock, a neighbor of Robert's in Nutley described the 24-year-old as a mature young man who was raised well.
"Ten years ago when we moved into the neighborhood, he was the first one in the family to introduce himself," said Treshock.
Another neighbor who requested anonymity described Roberts as a "very respectful and wonderful kid" from a very good family.
"You couldn't ask for better neighbors," she said. Robert's was living with his parents and two sisters in Nutley.
If convicted on all charges, Roberts, who is being held at the Union County jail where he's been since his February 13 arrest, is under a $100,000 bond for the Union City incident and now has a $500,000 bond for the Fairfield shooting. If he is convicted on all of the charges relating to Veneziano, he faces up to thirty years in prison.
FAIRFIELD OFFICER SHOT
FAIRFIELD OFFICER SHOT IN TORSO, NECK
OFFICER VENEZIANO IN CRITICAL CONDITION
FAIRFIELD OFFICER FACING MORE SURGERY
Media Outlets must credit The Black Urban Times www.theblackurbantimes.com twitter.com/thebutmsdotcom facebook.com/theblackurbantimes
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