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NJ Man Wanted On Domestic Violence Charge Shot By Trooper

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New Jersey man wanted in a domestic violence investigation was shot by a state trooper and has been charged with assault and resisting arrest, state officials said Monday.

The New Jersey attorney general's office said that 35-year-old Matthew Gerndt, of Lake Hopatcong, was shot during an arrest and taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials said the injuries were not life-threatening.

Police were led to Gerndt's home after receiving reports of a woman walking along Interstate 80, according to the attorney general's statement. A trooper responded to help the woman, who was not identified. She had injuries to her face and body and told authorities Gerndt, who was her boyfriend, assaulted her and then made her get out of the car, according to officials.

Police responded to Gerndt's home to arrest him on a domestic violence charge.

When five state troopers arrived, authorities said he retreated into the house and locked the patio door. They gained entry and that's when authorities said he rushed an officer and was shot, WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron reported. An unidentified trooper then fired two shots, hitting Gerndt in the lower body, according to the attorney general.

Gerndt faces a domestic violence charge after he's discharged from the hospital, in addition to assault and resisting arrest charges.

Neighbors were surprised by the news.

"He's always been very nice to us," one neighbor said. "He's never bothered us in the least."

"Never bothered us, he was a bright kid," another neighbor said.

It's unclear whether Gerndt has an attorney to speak on his behalf.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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