A South Jersey community gathered to honor Deptford Township Police Officer Bobby Shisler who died weeks after he was shot in the line of duty. NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle shows us how they paid tribute to the hero.
What to Know
- A police officer wounded during a struggle with an armed pedestrian earlier this year who died from his injuries got a processional back to New Jersey Tuesday.
- Deptford Township police department says officer Robert Shisler died Sunday in the hospital where he had been treated since the March 10 incident, which also left the pedestrian dead. The 27-year-old Shisler had served on the force for four years.
- Authorities said Shisler tried to stop 24-year-old Mitchell Negron Jr. as Negron walked on a roadway in Deptford, but Negron instead fled on foot. Shisler ran after him and both men were shot in an ensuing struggle. Negron was pronounced dead at the scene, while Shisler suffered a leg wound.
The body of a Deptford Township police officer who died after being wounded in a shooting while on duty nearly two months ago returned to New Jersey Tuesday as details about his funeral emerged.
Deptford Police Officer Robert "Bobby" Shisler died Sunday in Philadelphia after being shot during a struggle in March.
Honorable Transfer for a Fallen Hero
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On Tuesday morning, Shisler's body was honorably transferred in police-guided hearse from the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office across the Delaware River to the Boucher Funeral Home in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
Deptford police urged the community to come out and line Delsea Drive to honor Shisler. They released traffic and timing details on Facebook.
Funeral Details for 'Bobby' Shisler
Shisler's funeral will be held on Wednesday, May 17, at Pfleeger Concert Hall at Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ, according to his obituary posted to the Boucher Funeral Home's website.
Relatives and friends are invited for a viewing from 9 a.m. to noon. The funeral will begin at noon.
Interment will be private following the funeral.
Shisler was an avid hunter and weightlifter and played college baseball at South Carolina's Presbyterian College, according to his obituary. He was survived by his parents, two siblings and three grandparents.
First Deptford Officer Killed in Line of Duty
On March 10. the 27-year-old officer conducted a pedestrian stop on Delsea Drive in Deptford Township, New Jersey, police said. During the stop, a man, who police identified as 24-year-old Mitchell Negron Jr., ran off on foot, investigators said.
Officer Shisler chased after him and a struggle ensued between the two men, according to investigators. During the struggle, both men shot each other, officials said. A Taurus .38 special revolver, which was not Shisler’s service weapon, was recovered at the scene, according to investigators.
Negron was pronounced dead at the scene while Shisler was taken to a Philadelphia hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.
Shisler spent several weeks in the hospital where he underwent multiple surgeries and extensive treatment. During that time he received support from the Deptford Township community.
"Our deepest sympathies are with the Shisler family during this difficult time of bereavement,” Deptford Township Police Chief Joseph Smith wrote while announcing Shisler's death. “Though nothing can take away the pain of his passing, Bobby's incredible strength and bravery will be an unforgettable example of being Deptford strong. He was the best of ALL of us."
Shortly after the news of Shisler's death, officers consoled each other outside the Deptford Police Department. They draped a black cloth over Shisler's police cruiser before crossing the bridge into Pennsylvania.
Deptford Mayor Paul Medany said Shisler -- a four-year vet of the force -- was the first Deptford Police officer killed in the line of duty. He also said his death will impact the community for a long time.
"It's a tragic situation," Medany said. "The community coming together, that's great. But nobody ever wants to see this happen in any community in the United States of America."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew Platkin expressed their condolences to Shisler's family on Twitter.
"We are forever grateful to our law enforcement officers for putting their lives on the line to keep us safe," Murphy wrote.
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