DEA agents open fire near NJ school during drug bust, man shot

FORT LEE — A man is in the hospital after a shooting involving two Drug Enforcement Administration agents in a school zone on Tuesday afternoon.

Shots rang out near the intersection of Lemoine Avenue and Whiteman Street, according to Fort Lee police.

The area is less than a block away from a playground and Fort Lee School No. 1, which serves students in grades K-4. While the entrance of the school sits around the corner on Hoym Street, the rear of the school extends to Whiteman St. Police said in a statement on social media that the shooting did not put the school in danger.

"The area is safe," police said. "At no time was there a threat to any of our schools."

DEA New Jersey Division Special Agent Tim McMahon confirmed to New Jersey 101.5 that the man shot was a suspect in a drug enforcement operation. He did not reveal the man's identity.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the shooting. Prosecutor Mark Musella in a statement confirmed that it was non-fatal. The suspect is in stable condition at a local hospital.

🚦 Shooting during traffic stop?

Authorities have not yet revealed what prompted the DEA agents to open fire around 1:30 p.m. on a school day.

NBC New York reported that the agents attempted to question the suspect during a traffic stop. Instead, the man reportedly attempted to run them down in his car and the officers shot into the vehicle, striking him at least once.

Blurry video footage from a cellphone provided to NBC New York showed a black sedan crashed into a utility pole. It appears to show DEA agents searching the vehicle.

McMahon was unable to confirm to New Jersey 101.5 that the shooting was a result of the traffic stop.

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.com

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