Crime & Safety
Garber, Thyne Receive Hero Awards for Shooting Actions
The Gloucester Township Police Department sergeants came to the aid of an officer who had been disarmed inside the police station on Dec. 28.
Gloucester Township Police Sgts. James Garber and Kevin Thyne have been awarded multiple Camden County Hero Scholarship Fund honors for their efforts during a shootout inside the police station on Dec. 28.
The police sergeants received the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service awards during the Hero Scholarship Fund's annual dinner Friday night at Lucien's Manor, in Berlin.
Garber and Thyne came to the aid of Ptl. Ruth Burns after she was assaulted and disarmed by a prisoner, who fired Burns' duty weapon.
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The two sergeants returned fire on Eddie Jones III, 39, of Willingboro, shooting and killing the longtime civilian New Jersey Department of Corrections communications operator.
Garber was shot in the stomach during the shootout. He was hospitalized for more than two days while recovering from surgery.
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Thyne was shot in his duty belt, causing a laceration to his stomach, and sustained a graze wound to his chin in the incident, while Burns was shot in her foot. Both were treated and released several hours after the shootout.
Garber also was shot in the chest, but the bullet was stopped by his body armor, police said. He also sustained a graze wound to his head.
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