Eatontown Cop Justified In Shooting Armed Robbery Suspect, Attorney General's Office Says

FREEHOLD, NJ - An Eatontown police officer who shot an armed robber after he fired at police officers and aimed his car at them has been cleared by both the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the state Attorney General's Office.

The use of deadly force was "clearly necessary" to protect the officers from Eatontown resident Aaron T. Riley, 31, the Prosecutor's Office said.

The state Attorney General's Office agreed with the Prosecutor's Office ruling and the decision not to present the incident to a grand jury, said spokesman Charles Webster.

The incident began at 6:43 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2016 when Eatontown police received a 911 call about an armed robbery in progress at the Alltown Pharmacy on Wyckoff Road. When they arrived, they spotted two men leaving the pharmacy.

An employee of the pharmacy told detectives that she observed the suspect, resident Aaron T. Riley, 31, after he entered the pharmacy on their surveillance camera. She immediately thought something was wrong and dialed 911. Riley then brandished a gun and demanded narcotics.

Officer Kenneth Errickson told Officer Kevin Licknack to stop the first man while he and Officer Matthew Fix pursued the second man. The first man was immediately identified as a delivery driver. Errickson and Fix demanded Riley stop as they ran after him.

Both men heard a concerned citizen say "He's got a gun," Webster said.

Riley shot once at the officers who ran after him. He then jumped in a vehicle and drove directly at another officer. The officer who was almost struck by Riley’s vehicle fired his weapon at Riley.

Errickson and Fix saw saw the suspect run and tried to warn Licknack that the suspect was nearby. A dark-colored vehicle then pulled out from a row of other vehicles without headlights on and headed toward Licknack at a high rate of speed.

Licknack fired multiple times at the vehicle, but the vehicle continued to Route 36 and left the area. Licknack fired six times and stopped once the vehicle passed him. Forensics recovered six shell casings at the scene.

The next day, New York City police contacted Eatontown police to inform them that three men from the Eatontown/Tinton Falls area had flagged won a passing ambulance at 1 a.m. One of the men was Riley, who had a single gunshot wound to his left leg.

It is unclear whether a bullet from Officer Licknack’s gun struck Riley in the leg or he shot himself. The bullet in his leg could not be recovered at the hospital in order to be tested. Riley’s gun was never recovered, Webster said.

The vehicle Riley was driving after the robbery was later located in the parking lot of a nearby Eatontown apartment complex with visible projectile strike damage and shattered windows.

Riley was indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury for armed robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, resisting arrest, aggravated assault, and attempted murder. The case is pending a status conference in Monmouth County Superior Court, Webster said.

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