Standoff Actions By Howell Officer, Two Other Officers Recognized

HOWELL, NJ — Howell Township Police Officer Dan Murphy and Manalapan Officer Eric Voorland were among three awarded the Bronze Medal of Valor at the New Jersey State PBA annual Valor Awards banquet this weekend. Officer Omar Akel of Middletown Township was the third honoree.

The award for the officers stemmed from an incident that took place in Long Branch in November of 2021. All three officers are members of the Monmouth County Regional Emergency Response Team known as MoCERT (also known as a SWAT team).

A year ago, a suspect in a murder investigation was barricaded in an apartment on Chelsea Avenue in Long Branch after he shot a Monmouth County detective while the detective was attempting to serve a warrant for a homicide investigation.

Police at the time said Mark D. Walker II, 34, of Woodbridge, Va., first barricaded himself in an apartment for hours, shot and wounded the police officer and then ran out of the apartment building holding an infant and firing at police. Walker was shot and killed by police. The baby was not injured in the shooting. See a Patch story on the incident here.

Howell Police Chief John Storrow said in a news statement that Murphy "immediately ran toward the suspect and fired back. Officers Voorland and Akel also fired at the suspect.

"I cannot stress enough the amazing skill and composure that Officer Murphy displayed on that cold night in November. His marksmanship was truly impressive. Accurately hitting a subject that is running in the dark, while shooting at you, and using a child as a shield, certainly deserves accolades," said Storrow.

See this link for the statement on the incident from the Attorney General’s Office.