Road Rage Murder: Off Duty Cop Guns Down Man in New Jersey
A road rage murder incident in New Jersey has shocked local residents and resulted in the arrest of a police officer for murder, according to reports.
Officer Joseph Walker has been charged with the murder of Joseph Harvey Jr. in what reports are describing as a likely road rage murder incident. Walker is being detained on a $1 million bond, and has been charged with second degree murder and manslaughter for the incident.
The incident took place on Saturday night on Route 3 northbound near Interstate 97. Walker, 40, from Eastampton, New Jersey is reported to have been off duty at the time of the shooting, which was sparked in a road rage incident.
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Harvey, 36, and Walker were said to have had an altercation about a mile south of where Harvey was eventually found shot dead.
According to reports, Walker was driving a gold Kia minivan with his wife and three children on board. The off duty officer approached the victim, who himself was driving a green Honda Accord, and had one passenger in his vehicle.
Following that exchange It is alleged that Harvey and his passenger friend approached the minivan which was parked behind them about 100 feet away on the shoulder.
Walker, seeing them approaching his vehicle, got out and informed the pair that he was a police officer. However, he alleges that the two men continued approaching him in an "aggressive manner," leading Walker to fire a Glock, 45-caliber handgun, killing the victim.
Maryland state police are still investigating the reasons for the altercation, and are seeking eye witness accounts of the killing.
A police spokesperson has said, "We are aware of the fatal shooting incident involving one of our detectives, who was off-duty and traveling in Maryland with his wife and children."
