Salem standoff ends with man in custody, no injuries reported

Updated: 4:53 p.m.

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New Jersey State Police say a man is in custody following a standoff that began after law enforcement agencies responded to reports of shots fired in Salem City.

The standoff lasted for about three hours before it ended around 3 p.m. Wednesday. No injuries were reported.

Police say a task force was trying to arrest a man they identified as Eric Smith around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when the man fired multiple shots. Salem Police Chief John Pelura said at least one member of a fugitive task force fired back.

Pelura did not say what charges Smith was facing when the task force attempted to arrest him. He eventually surrendered.

Subject from East Broadway, Salem City, Salem County incident is in custody. No injuries to law enforcement or subject. Updates to follow. #alert #alert

— NJSP – State Police (@NJSP) January 23, 2019

At an unrelated press conference in Camden earlier Wednesday afternoon, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal described the situation as “a standoff between law enforcement and a fugitive they were in the course of attempting to arrest.”

“There were some shots fired, but it seems to be a contained situation in the area of 172 East Broadway in Salem City,” he said.

Neighbors reported hearing about eight shots ring out shortly before noon, adding that they knew the fugitive, but wouldn’t identify him. Some nearby businesses, county government offices, and all city schools went on lockdown while troopers armed with rifles and officers in tactical gear patrolled the area.

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WHYY reporters Laura Benshoff and Tom MacDonald, and The Associated Press contributed reporting.