Man Accused Of Shooting At Officer During Well-Being Check

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- A man is accused of shooting at a police officer during a well-being check in Burlington County.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office said that Evesham Township police were called to the Niew Amsterdam Apartments on North Maple Avenue on May 24 after a maintenance worker entered 54-year-old Jeffrey Wass' apartment to investigate the odor of natural gas and found him unconscious on the couch.

The worker saw that the burners on the gas stove had been turned on, but were not lit. The worker immediately turned the burners off and PSE&G was called to the scene.

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Police established contact with Wass from the doorway of his apartment, but he told them not to enter. When police tried several times to establish phone contact, an officer returned to the door of Wass' apartment and yelled inside, telling him to answer his phone.

Police say Wass responded by firing a gunshot from inside the apartment.

After more unsuccessful attempts to reach Wass, New Jersey State Police deployed a tactical robot and found Wass incapacitated on his couch.

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Police then entered Wass' apartment and safely took him into custody. Officers say they recovered a 9mm pistol inside the apartment.

Wass has been charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and other similar charges.

Wass is being held in the Burlington County Jail.