MANVILLE: Local man shot by off-duty cop during attempted home robbery

A 19 year-old Manville man suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was listed in critical condition on Monday after he allegedly attempted to rob the home of an off-duty police officer., According to Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor and Manville Borough Chief of Police Mark Peltack, the incident took place just after midnight at a North 5th Avenue residence when Tyreek Cook, of North 2nd Avenue, illegally entered the home., Details on what happened next are currently under investigation, but officials said Cook was quickly engaged in a physical altercation with the homeowner, who happened to be an off-duty police officer., During the ensuing struggle, police said the officer shot Cook in the chest., Life-saving medical aid techniques were quickly applied to Cook by the homeowner, as well as responding Manville police officers before he was transported to a local trauma center for emergency treatment., Officials said the homeowner, whose name was withheld by authorities, was also transported to a local hospital for injuries he sustained during the altercation, as well as any traumatic stress related conditions., Later that morning, Prosecutor Robertson said that detectives from the Manville Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Crime Scene Investigations and Forensics Unit responded to the scene for the subsequent investigation., So far, officials said Cook has been found to be potentially responsible for a number of residential and vehicle burglaries in the area. He is also believed to have been allegedly involved in multiple burglary attempts. The investigation into his criminal activity is actively on-going., As a result of the alleged incident, Cook was charged with third degree burglary and was listed in critical condition under police guard at the trauma center., Officials request that anyone with information regarding the incident on Monday, as well as any recent burglaries in the Manville area, to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100, the Manville Police Department at 908-725-1900 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). Information can also be submitted online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE.”, All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.