Evesham man charged with shooting at Burlco police

A 54-year-old man has been charged with firing a gun at a Burlington County police officer during a well-being check in May, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Jeffrey R. Wass, of the Nieuw Amsterdam Apartments in Evesham Township, was charged with second- and third-degree aggravated assault, causing a risk of widespread injury or damage, and other offenses and was being held in the Burlington County jail.

On May 24, police and fire personnel were called to the apartments, where a maintenance worker had found Wass apparently unconscious on his couch while the burners on his stove were turned on but not lit, prosecutors said.

The maintenance worker turned off the burners and PSE&G was called to shut off gas and power to the building to prevent an explosion.

Evesham police attempted to make verbal contact with Wass from his doorway, but he warned them not to enter, prosecutors said.

The police officers tried to call Wass and yelled at him to answer the phone, but he responded by discharging a 9 mm pistol. No one was injured.

New Jersey State Police deployed a tactical robot inside the apartment and were able to see that Wass was incapacitated on his couch. Police then entered the apartment and safely took him into custody.