D.A.: Man tried to shoot officer
Gun was stolen from parked car in Worcester
WHITEMARSH >> A New Jersey man is charged with attempted homicide after he allegedly pointed a stolen gun at a Whitemarsh Township police officer’s head and attempted to fire the weapon as the officer investigated reports of a suspicious person in a township neighborhood.
“For a police officer, even a routine call can turn deadly in moments,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said on Thursday as he announced the arrest of Reynaldo Figueroa-Ardon, 20, of Vineland, N.J.
“All of us in law enforcement are feeling very blessed right now that the defendant wasn’t able to rack a bullet into the chamber of the stolen gun before he pulled the trigger. Thankfully, the police officer went home to his family after this very dangerous incident,” Steele added.
“This police officer—who is a father, husband, son, brother and veteran—reacted quickly and used his training and experience to gain control of this very dangerous situation, thankfully, with the best possible outcome,” Whitemarsh Township Police Chief Christopher Ward said on Thursday.
Figueroa-Ardon, of the 1400 block of Wallace Street, was arraigned before District Court Judge Gregory Scott on charges of attempted criminal homicide of a law enforcement officer, attempted aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, receiving stolen property, attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer, possession of a prohibited firearm, firearm not to be
carried without a license, possession of a weapon and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the 8 a.m. March 10 incident in the area of Mulberry Lane and Ridge Pike in the Lafayette Hill section of Whitemarsh.
Scott set bail at $3.5 million cash and Figueroa-Ardon was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility to await a March 24 preliminary hearing on the charges before District Court Judge Deborah Lukens.
The investigation began about 8 a.m. Wednesday when Whitemarsh K-9 Police Officer Matthew Stadulis responded to Mulberry Lane after a resident called 911 to report a suspicious male wearing an orange and green hoodie walking along the street “trying to open the doors of vehicles parked on the street,” according to a criminal complaint filed by Whitemarsh Detective Sgt. James Cotter and county Detective Anthony Francesco Caso.
Stadulis observed the suspect, later identified as Figueroa-Ardon, walking on Mulberry Lane toward Ridge Pike. Stadulis ordered Figueroa-Ardon to stop multiple times but his commands were ignored, according to the criminal complaint.
“As Officer Stadulis approached Figueroa-Ardon on foot, Figueroa-Ardon pulled out a handgun that he had concealed in a holster in his waistband,” Cotter and Caso alleged in the arrest affidavit. “FigueroaArdon pointed the handgun directly at Officer Stadulis’ head/face and began to pull the trigger. Figueroa-Ardon pulled the trigger at least three times, but the handgun did not fire.”
The officer wrestled with Figueroa-Ardon, attempting to disarm him, and they both fell to the ground, court papers indicate. Eventually, Stadulis was able to wrestle the gun from Figueroa-Ardon.
“After being disarmed, Figueroa-Ardon attempted to take control of Officer Stadulis’ holstered duty firearm. Officer Stadulis was eventually able to gain control of Figueroa-Ardon and secure his firearm. As additional backup units arrived Figueroa-Ardon was able to be handcuffed,” Cotter and Caso alleged in the criminal complaint.
Detectives recovered a Sig Sauer 9mm semiautomatic handgun from Figueroa-Ardon and determined it had been reported stolen to Pennsylvania State Police at Skippack. According to a news release from the district attorney’s office, the gun had been reported stolen overnight
from a parked vehicle in Worcester Township.
“The handgun had been stolen from the center console of the gun owner’s vehicle,” detectives alleged in the criminal complaint.
Authorities alleged the handgun had bullets in the magazine but no bullet in the chamber and thus did not fire when Figueroa-Ardon allegedly pulled the trigger.
During an interview by detectives, Figueroa-Ardon allegedly admitted that he pointed the stolen firearm at the officer’s head and pulled the trigger “with the intent of shooting him in the head/face,” according to court papers.
“Figueroa-Ardon added that he knew the gun was loaded because he observed rounds in the magazine. Figueroa-Ardon also admitted that he was not aware that the gun did not have a round in the chamber when he began pulling the trigger,” Cotter and Caso alleged in court documents.
Court papers indicate that a check with U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement revealed that Figueroa-Ardon does possess a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application and is classified as an individual with unlawful presence in the U.S. Figueroa-Ardon’s status prohibits him from possessing a firearm, authorities alleged.
Authorities also alleged in the criminal complaint that Figueroa-Ardon has several arrests for burglary and theft in Vineland and North Wildwood in New Jersey and as recently as March 8 had been arrested by New Jersey State Police for alleged criminal trespass and related charges.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison Ruth, captain of the district attorney’s firearms unit.
“For a police officer, even a routine call can turn deadly in moments.” — Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele
“All of us in law enforcement are feeling very blessed right now that the defendant wasn’t able to rack a bullet into the chamber of the stolen gun before he pulled the trigger.” — Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele