Prosecutors say a gunfight between an Asbury Park police officer and a suspect resulted in a bullet going into a home nearby and grazing an 8-year-old girl watching TV.
A patrol officer made an "investigatory stop" on a street to speak with 20-year-old Dante Allen Wednesday night when Allen began running, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.
The officer "pursued Allen, Allen turned and fired shots at him as he ran away," Gramiccioni said Thursday.
The officer fired back, and at least one bullet went through the wall of the house where Cassie Jones was watching TV, and grazed the girl across her forehead.
Neighbor Kayraun Wilson said she heard screaming from the house and she ran over.
The girl's mother "had her child wrapped up and I ran to flag the officers to come get her," she said.
Another neighbor, Tasha McLean, said the mother was panicking, "I was panicking, everybody on the block was panicking. It was terrible."
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Investigators said the officer shot Allen in the leg, allowing him to be captured. The cop was not hit.
There is video clearly showing the suspect firing first, according to Gramiccioni.
Asked whether the officer was right to fire back at the suspect, Gramiccioni said: "It's consistent with police protocol to try to extinguish a threat when somebody's firing at an officer in the neighborhood like this."
Prosecutors are still investigating whose bullet went into the house.
The girl was treated and released from the hospital Wednesday evening.
Allen, who has a juvenile criminal record, was being held on $1 million bail for attempted murder and several weapons charges.
Neighbors said Wednesday the girl grazed by the bullet was 9 years old, but authorities clarified Thursday she was 8.
