Officer George Wilson, a 21-year veteran of the force, shot Ewing resident Timothy Miller in the foot following a pursuit and a confrontation
A Trenton police officer investigates a crime scene on Perry Street TRENTON — City police today released the name of the officer who shot an armed suspect during a foot chase in the North Ward last week.
Officer George Wilson, a 21-year veteran of the force, shot Ewing resident Timothy Miller in the foot following a pursuit and a confrontation in an alleyway between Bond Street and East Ingham Avenue Thursday night. Police have yet to release full details of the shooting, but they have said that Miller was in possession of a handgun.
Miller was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder for a shooting the same evening at Perry and North Montgomery streets he was allegedly fleeing when police began chasing him.
On Monday, police apprehended a 22-year-old city man also allegedly involved in the earlier shooting, which happened around 8 p.m. Thursday. Two men were wounded in that exchange. Edward L. Acosta was identified as a suspect by city police, then picked up by Hamilton officers during a car stop in the township Monday, Lt. Mark Kieffer said.
Acosta is also charged with two counts of criminal attempted homicide, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. He was the third of three suspects, including Miller, who were allegedly in the car that fled the Perry and North Montgomery shooting scene.
Officers who heard shots and got to the intersection moments after the shooting saw the car carrying Miller, Acosta and 31-year-old Tiffany Wright fleeing the area. A police unit attempted to stop the car, but it kept going, eventually heading onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Wilson, who is assigned to the patrol division, was one of the officers who arrived as backup during the vehicle chase. When the suspects’ car stopped on Bond Street, Wright was arrested immediately and Acosta was able to flee. Wilson ran after Miller, who Wilson could see was carrying a handgun. After the confrontation in the alley, Wilson fired once and struck Miller, police said.
A handgun was recovered at the scene, according to police. Miller was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center for treatment, later released, and is being held at the Mercer County Corrections Center on $1 million bail. Acosta was lodged in the corrections center and faces a $1 million bail as well.
Police and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office are reviewing Wilson’s actions, as is procedure in any use of force case. No findings have been released, and the case remained under investigation today, Kieffer said.
Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.
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