WHITEMARSH, Pa (AP) — A 20-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer and other counts after prosecutors say he pointed a gun at a Whitemarsh Township police officer and attempted to fire it, but there was no bullet in the chamber.
Reynaldo Figueroa-Ardon, of Vineland, was being held Thursday on $3.5 million bail.
According to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, the police department outside of Philadelphia received a complaint that a man was pulling on door handles of parked cars early Wednesday.
An officer responded and saw Figueroa-Ardon, who matched the suspect’s description. When the officer attempted to speak to him, authorities say Figueroa-Ardon began quickly moving away from him, so he jogged to catch up and pulled him by his arm to stop him when Figueroa-Ardon ignored commands to stop.
The officer said the man pulled out a handgun, later determined to have been stolen from a parked car the day before, and pointed it at the officer’s head. The officer said he heard three clicks, but the gun never fired, and he was able to subdue Figueroa-Ardon and handcuff him with the help of other officers.
It wasn’t known Thursday if Figueroa-Ardon has retained an attorney. He faces several charges, including attempted murder of an officer, disarming an officer, reckless endangerment and receiving stolen property.