South Jersey Man Convicted Of Shooting Officers During Raid
TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A man convicted of opening fire on police officers who were executing a no-knock search warrant at his southern New Jersey home is now facing more than 130 years in prison.
Jaime Gonzalez of Lakewood was found guilty of attempting to murder five of the 11 officers involved in the September 2009 raid. The five included Officer Jonathan Wilson, who was blinded in one eye after being shot in the face and has since retired on disability.
The 43-year-old Gonzalez was also convicted of aggravated assault on three more officers, including one who was shot in the foot and another who was struck by a round in his bullet-proof vest. But he was acquitted of trying to murder or assault the three remaining officers who took part in the raid.
The Ocean County jury also convicted Gonzalez on numerous drug and weapons charges. He's due to be sentenced later this year.
The raid was the culmination of a multi-jurisdictional investigation into gun and drug trafficking. County prosecutors said that after the officers broke down the door to Gonzalez's home and headed upstairs, he was at the top of the stairs waiting for them and opened fire.
During the trial, Gonzalez's attorney said the officers had unwittingly shot each other in the midst of the bedlam. Gonzalez testified that he fired warning shots when he thought robbers were entering his home.
Gonzales was shot several times and hospitalized for several days after the raid.
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