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Trooper

Scott M. Gonzalez

New Jersey State Police — West Trenton, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch October 24, 1997

Age 35

Tour of Duty 5 yrs 6 mo

Badge 5059

The Vigil Panel 321 · Column 2 · Line 11 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 83

Incident

Trooper Scott Gonzalez was shot and killed while pursuing a robbery suspect at O'Brien Road, a dead-end in Mansfield Township, at 5:25 pm. Trooper Gonzalez spotted a pickup truck that fit the description of a vehicle used in a robbery a few hours earlier in Independence Township. He called in for assistance and began to pursue the truck, which sped up in an attempt to escape. The driver of the truck pulled into a dead-end road, and Trooper Gonzalez pulled in behind him, blocking his exit. The suspect abruptly made a U-turn and rammed Trooper Gonzalez's patrol car. The impact caused the patrol car's airbag to deploy, momentarily dazing him. It also jammed the doors closed, trapping Trooper Gonzalez inside the patrol car. The suspect then exited his truck and shot Trooper Gonzalez multiple times with a shotgun while he was still in his patrol car. The fatal shot struck Trooper Gonzalez in the head from less than five feet away. Trooper Gonzalez was able to return fire and shot at the suspect seven times from inside the patrol car but was unable to strike the suspect. The suspect then tried to flee. He drove down the road but was stopped by other officers. The suspect inadvertently shot himself while trying to exit the vehicle and shoot responding officers. Trooper Gonzalez had been with the New Jersey State Police for five years and previously served with the Plainfield Police Department for six months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Gonzalez gave the New Jersey State Police 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Gonzalez.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New Jersey State Police

Type State Police

Location West Trenton, NJ

Platform Identity njsp.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 24, 1997

Tour of Duty 5 yrs 6 mo

Age 35

Badge Number 5059

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Scott is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1997, 88 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 71st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Scott was 35. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Scott had served 5.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded