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Delanco officer, man wounded in shooting

A police officer and a 21-year-old man were wounded in a shooting during a struggle early Tuesday in Delanco. Patrolman Francisco Ambrifi, 40, responded to a 911 call from a resident of the 400 block of Delaware Avenue about a man causing a disturbance on the street shortly before 4 a.m. The officer encountered a man who was "behaving in a disorderly fashion" and who "failed to comply with officer's orders," and a struggle followed.

A police officer and a 21-year-old man were wounded in a shooting during a struggle early Tuesday in Delanco.

Patrolman Francisco Ambrifi, 40, responded to a 911 call from a resident of the 400 block of Delaware Avenue about a man causing a disturbance on the street shortly before 4 a.m. The officer encountered a man who was "behaving in a disorderly fashion" and who "failed to comply with officer's orders," and a struggle followed.

Ambrifi fired his gun, striking the victim more than once, Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi and Delanco Police Chief Jesse DeSanto said in a statement.

Ambrifi, a 16-year veteran of the force, was shot in the left knee during the struggle.

Ambrifi, a former Marine, was married four weeks ago, according to a friend.

In a statement to reporters, Ambrifi said: "On behalf of myself and my entire family, I thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers and concern. I want to assure everyone that I'm fine, and the doctors are telling me I should make a full recovery."

Ambrifi was listed in stable condition at Cooper University Hospital.

Police said the 21-year-old man's name was not being released because he has not been charged with a crime. He was listed in critical but stable condition at Cooper.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office and Delanco police are investigating.