BELLEVILLE, New Jersey — Two Belleville police officers were taken to a hospital on Sunday night, October 25, after a fleeing driver struck one of them near Branch Brook Park and an officer opened fire as the suspect fled the scene, according to a statement by Belleville Mayor Frank Velez reported by NBC New York.

Source: NBC New York, Oct. 26, 2026

"According to preliminary information, a Belleville police officer was struck by a vehicle while trying to apprehend a fleeing suspect. An officer subsequently opened fire and the suspect fled the scene," Mayor Velez wrote. "The injured officer and his partner are currently being treated at a local hospital. The officer's injuries are reported to be non-life-threatening."

Source: Mayor Frank Velez, Town of Belleville (statement on Facebook)

NBC New York crews at the intersection of Mill Street and Union Avenue saw a heavy law enforcement presence extending into Branch Brook Park, including the Essex County Prosecutor's Office crime scene unit. The prosecutor's office at one point confirmed an officer-involved shooting and then retracted that statement within minutes, NBC New York reported, and as of early Monday, October 26, authorities had released no confirmed account of what happened.

A witness at the scene, David Vazquez of Newark, told NBC New York that his friend, who was driving to a football game, saw an officer being run over by a car and then heard shots, one of which allegedly smashed the back window of his friend's car. That account has not been independently confirmed by officials, and it is not yet clear whether anyone was hit by the gunfire.

Police have not said what the suspect was originally wanted for, whether the fleeing vehicle has been found, or whether any arrest has been made. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office typically investigates police-involved shootings in the county. This is a developing story and will be updated as officials release confirmed information.