The officer's use of deadly force was justified, the report said, to protect himself from Dante Allen, who had fired at the officer first. Watch video
ASBURY PARK -- An officer who engaged in a gun battle with a 20-year-old city resident in November will not receive criminal charges, according to report released Wednesday by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
The officer's use of deadly force was justified, the report said, to protect himself from Dante Allen, who had fired at the officer first. Allen suffered non-life threatening injuries to his left leg.
The Nov. 4, 2015, incident also left 8-year-old Cassie Jones injured. Jones was sitting inside her bedroom watching television when a bullet entered the home and grazed her forehead. She was treated at a local hospital and released that night.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office is still awaiting the results of New Jersey State Police Ballistics Unit tests to determine if the bullet that grazed Jones came from the officer.
Allen was charged with attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The New Jersey Attorney General reviewed the prosecutor's office investigation and agreed that the officer's use of deadly force was justified.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.