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Police shoot armed 65-year-old during attempted robbery at Blackwood CVS, prosecutors say
A 65-year-old man was shot by a Gloucester Township police officer after authorities say he pointed a gun at the officer during an attempted robbery at a College Drive CVS. The suspect was arrested, hospitalized and charged; no one else was hurt.
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. â A police officer shot and wounded an armed 65-year-old man during an attempted robbery at a CVS Pharmacy in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township on Friday evening, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.
Michael Dougherty, 65, was shot after authorities say he pointed a gun at an officer and then advanced on the officer despite repeated commands to drop the weapon. He was arrested at the scene and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. None of the officers involved was injured.
The incident began around 4:15 p.m. on Nov. 6, when officers were dispatched to the CVS on the 700 block of College Drive for a reported robbery in progress. Arriving officers found Dougherty attempting to rob the pharmacy while armed with a handgun, the prosecutor's office said.
According to investigators, Dougherty pointed the gun at one officer, who moved to a position of safety before drawing his own weapon. The officer ordered Dougherty several times to drop his gun, but Dougherty instead moved closer, officials said. The officer then fired multiple rounds, striking him. A second officer took Dougherty into custody.
Police said two weapons were recovered from Dougherty. He has been charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault by pointing a firearm at law enforcement and other related offenses.
Aerial footage showed police vehicles blocking off the store's parking lot around 5 p.m. as investigators worked the scene.
CVS said the store and pharmacy remained closed while police investigated and that no customers, patients or employees were hurt. "We're cooperating with police as they investigate a shooting at our College Drive store in Blackwood," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "The store and pharmacy are currently closed while police are on scene. We'll reopen as soon as we can." The company directed patients with immediate prescription needs to nearby CVS locations.
The prosecutor's office said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ryan Colone of the Major Crimes Unit at 856-580-5942 or Detective Shane Gilson of the Special Prosecutions Unit at 856-225-8563, or to submit a tip through the prosecutor's office website.
The shooting adds to a growing record of armed confrontations in retail spaces across the region, and it raises familiar questions about how quickly incidents in busy commercial corridors can escalate. Under New Jersey practice, shootings involving police officers are reviewed by the county prosecutor's office; Friday's case remains under that scrutiny as authorities continue to interview witnesses and collect evidence.