A New Jersey man has died after he was shot while driving, causing him to crash his car into a pedestrian and a police patrol vehicle, authorities said Saturday.
Andrew Coates, 41, was driving near North Olden and Ohio avenues in Trenton when he was shot late Friday night, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities responded to the area around 11:25 p.m., after they received a “Shot Spotter activation” for multiple gunshots in the area.
Officers who were already patrolling in Trenton were the first to arrive on the scene, officials said. But one of those vehicles was struck by Coates’ car when he “lost control” after being shot.
Coates also hit a pedestrian before his vehicle finally came to a complete stop.
Coates was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a few hours later, prosecutors said.
Two police officers were sent to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery. The male pedestrian who Coates hit was also being treated, though the extent of his injuries was unclear.
While detectives were at the hospital, a fourth person, who was shot in the leg amid the chaos, also arrived for treatment. He was said to be in stable condition on Saturday.
Authorities said two unoccupied vehicles and a residence on Indiana Avenue were struck by gunfire as well. No one inside the home was wounded.
As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests had been made and no suspects had been identified. It’s not clear what may have prompted the shooting.
