BWC: Murder suspect produces gun, shoots at NYPD, N.J. officers before fatal OIS

NYPD and Woodbridge PD officers were in a hotel lobby searching for a murder suspect when he emerged from an elevator and fired shots; two officers were wounded in the shootout

July 09, 2025 11:57 AM

By Chris Sheldon
nj.com

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, N.J. — The New Jersey Attorney General’s office has released body-worn camera footage of a shootout between officers and a New York murder suspect last year in the lobby of a Middlesex County hotel.

The murder suspect, Karl Gregory, 46, of New York, New York, was killed during the exchange of gunfire and Woodbridge Police Officer Justin Nerney and New York Police Detective Matthew Mauro were injured, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

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On June 12, 2024 , detectives from the New York City Police Department were searching for Gregory in Woodbridge near the Royal Albert’s Palace, a complex that also houses the Raritan Hotel, when an automatic license plate reader identified his car, the office said.

Police from Edison and Woodbridge responded to the hotel and found Gregory’s car unoccupied in the parking lot, authorities said. The NYPD was notified about the car and responded to the scene where police from Woodbridge were briefed about the criminal investigation in New York.

Investigators have not released details on the murder investigation.

At 12:21 a.m., Woodbridge officers Drew Krupinski and Nerney, along with Mauro, were in the lobby of the hotel interviewing someone when officials said the elevator doors opened and Gregory exited into the lobby holding multiple bags.

Gregory dropped the bags when he saw the officers and reached into a black backpack when an exchange of gunfire took place between Gregory, Krupinski, Nerney and Mauro, investigators said.

(Warning: The video contains violent content and graphic language.)

One of the videos released Tuesday shows one of the officers approach Gregory from behind, and a gun goes off but it’s unclear whose gun was fired.

After that, multiple other gunshots can be heard as Gregory and the officers fire their weapons.

Nerney, Mauro and Gregory were struck during the exchange, the office said.

Medical aid was provided to Gregory immediately following the shooting, but he was declared dead at the scene and a handgun was recovered near him, authorities said.

Nerney and Mauro suffered gunshot wounds and were transported to a New Brunswick hospital for treatment, according to authorities. Mauro was released a day after the shooting and Nerney was released two days later.

The shooting is still being probed by the office, which investigates any time a person is fatally shot by a police officer or dies while in police custody.

Once its investigation is completed, the findings will be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officers involved.

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