New Jersey
NJ state trooper arrested in Wayne and accused of shooting his dog, assaulting an officer
What happens when someone is arrested and charged with a crime?
When someone is arrested and charged with a crime, police departments observe a protocol that includes the reading of Miranda Rights.
- New Jersey State Trooper Alexander Lark was arrested in Wayne Thursday after shooting his dog, vandalizing a stop sign and assaulting a Wayne Police officer.
A New Jersey state trooper was arrested in Wayne on Thursday after shooting his dog at his condo, vandalizing a stop sign and assaulting an officer outside of Wayne Police headquarters, according to Detective Captain Daniel Daly of the Wayne Police Department.
At approximately 12:55 a.m. Thursday, residents of a condo complex in Wayne called the police after they heard a “commotion” in one of the condos, possibly including a gunshot. Officers from the Wayne Police Department responded to the complex to investigate.
Several minutes later, additional officers were leaving the Wayne Police headquarters when they found a man in the front parking lot “acting erratically.” According to Daly, the man, who was later identified as New Jersey State Trooper Alexander Lark, was destroying a stop sign in the parking lot.
Lark appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Officers engaged Lark and attempted to calm him down. Per Daly, Lark then shoved one of them and was subsequently taken to the ground, restrained and placed under arrest. He was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Police determined that Lark was also the resident from the condo complex. Upon entering the condo, according to the affidavit, officers found Lark’s dog that was shot and killed with his service Glock 43 handgun. The gun was left on the floor near the dog.
Lark was criminally charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, criminal mischief and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. According to Daly, he was also charged with a municipal ordinance violation for discharging a firearm. Animal cruelty charges are pending.
The New Jersey State Police Internal Affairs Division was notified of the incident by the Wayne Police Department. An emailed request for comment from the NJ State Police has not been returned.
Lark has been employed by New Jersey State Police since 2017, public records show.