Watch CBS News

Investigators Probe Deadly Gun Battle In Mountain Lakes, N.J.

MOUNTAIN LAKES, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A deadly gun battle broke out Friday along busy Route 46 in suburban Morris County. Police from Mountain Lakes, Denville and several other jurisdictions responded to a 911 call of a woman shot and killed inside the EXIT Realty Gold Service.

"Everybody was at the realty and then the action just moved east," witness Michael Spano told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.

Witnesses described a shootout at around 5 p.m. between the police and a lone male gunman. CBS 2 was able capture a picture of a side window, that either the shooter or a distraught worker apparently busted through in a panic.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said officers were forced to use deadly fire.

"As the police responded to the 911 call about that shooting, they were shot at, they returned fire. The individual who shot at the police was killed," Bianchi said.

The question in all of this is why?

Investigators refused to reveal a motive: was it robbery or a domestic dispute?

The identity of the woman killed was also not revealed.

"There has not been next-of-kin notification, so we are not releasing the identity of the individuals who were involved," Bianchi said.

There was at least one person taken into custody as officers cleared nearby buildings, including a catering hall down the street that had a wedding scheduled and then relocated at the last minute.

Bobby Fitzgerald, a waiter at a nearby diner, said his thoughts are with those working at the realty company, many of them his regular customers.

"The owners come in here quite often for dinner, plenty of the workers come in all the time," he said. "I'm hoping it's not them, it's a terrible situation."

Share your thoughts on this story in the comments section...

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.