This weekend as New Jersey Police Officer Joseph Walker drove through Maryland, he allegedly shot and killed Joseph Harvey Jr. in a fit of road rage. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Walker Was With His Wife and Kids
Walker allegedly shot the other driver while the two were pulled over to the side of the road. The shooting occurred just south of Baltimore “on the shoulder of the northbound Route 3 to I-97 exit,” according to Maryland State Police.
According to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, where Walker worked, he was with wife and children at the time of the shooting. The Prosecutor’s brief statement reads:
We are aware of the fatal shooting incident involving one of our detectives, who was off-duty and traveling in Maryland with his wife and children
2. The Shooting Was Supposedly Triggered by Road Rage
According to the Maryland State Police’s news release, the two drivers may have come into contact on northbound Route 3. Both vehicles, Walker’s gold Kia minivan and Harvey’s green Honda Accord, then pulled over to the side of the road. According to police, the driver of the Honda and his passenger got out of the car and walked toward the minivan. That’s when Walker allegedly pulled out a .45-caliber Glock pistol and fired at Harvey.
3. The Victim, Maryland Resident Joseph Harvey Jr., Was Shot Three Times
Harvey was a 36-year-old resident of Halethorpe, Maryland. He was traveling with another passenger at the time of the shooting. After the shooting, Harvey was transported by ambulance to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, where he was declared dead. According to the New York Daily News, there were three bullet wounds on the body.
4. Walker is Being Charged With Murder
According to the Maryland State Police, Walker is being charged with second degree murder and manslaughter. He is being held in Anne Arundel County Detention Center as the investigation continues.
5. His Bail is Set at One Million Dollars
Although his friends and co-workers all say that Walker was a great and responsible guy, he is being held with a $1 million bail.
