Point Beach Police Honored for Safeguarding Public from Gunman

Point Beach police officers who kept the public safe as an armed man moved through the downtown were honored at Tuesday night's council meeting.

Councilman Bret Gordon, the liaison to the police department, read the following statement prepared by the police department that explains the movements of the gunman and the police:

"On 10/2/2013 at approximately 8:48 a.m., this department received information from Brick Township Police that a subject wanted for a domestic violence incident in their town the night before was en route to the Point Pleasant Beach train station in an Ace Taxi cab.  

Brick Township PD provided the name of the subject as Robert Terry III who reportedly was armed with a handgun and suicidal. PFC Kowalewski immediately responded to the area of the train station locating the Ace Taxi cab. 

PFC Kowalewski initiated a motor vehicle stop and obtained information from the driver indicating that Mr. Terry had entered the Vino De Mare Diner.  

Officers Kowalewski and Blauvelt entered the diner and immediately received reports from a waitress that Mr. Terry had fled out the back door.  At this time, Detective Daniel, Cpl. O’Neill and Officer Mosca began searching the area and set up a perimeter around the immediate area.

With the assistance of several other neighboring police agencies, officers were able to secure the roads and limit pedestrian traffic in the area. All the local schools were notified and instituted their emergency lockdown procedures.  

The Brick Township SWAT team, the OC Regional SWAT team, Brick Township K9, and the NJ State Police Aviation Unit were notified to provide additional support.

Upon the arrival of Brick Township SWAT officers and after an unsuccessful attempt by Brick K9, a systematic search of the downtown area began.  

Mr. Terry was ultimately found on the roof of the Point Pleasant Hardware Store and subsequently shot himself in the head prior to being apprehended. He later succumbed to his self-inflicted gunshot wound.

It is the Awards Committee's recommendation that all officers who participated in this call receive the Unit Citation. The award reads as follows: 'A team effort under extraordinary conditions including all participating staff members, who in support of departmental operations distinguished themselves to effectuate the protection of life and property.'

The following is the list of all officers involved:

1.     Capt Robert Dikun

2.     Lt. Joseph Michigan

3.     Cpl. Derek O’Neill

4.     Police Officer First Class Robert Kowalewski

5.     Detective First Class Clinton Daniel

6.     Special Officer Valerie Blauvelt

7.     Police Officer First Class Christopher Mosca

8.     Cpl. Kyle Grace

9.     Police Officer First Class Andrew Meany

10.  Sgt. Gerald Quaglia

11.  Dispatcher Brian Larrison

12.  Dispatcher Daniel Marsh

13.  Part Time Dispatcher Christopher Dempsey

14.  Special Police Officer Nicholas Greenwood

15.  Special Police Officer Michael Slininger

16.  Special Police Officer James McGuire

17.  Special Police Officer Michael Gatnarek"