LOGAN TWP. – On Jan. 14, a gunman that had been holding two female hostages at the UPS mail sorting facility on Birch Creek Road in Logan Township was shot and killed by police when the gunman exited the building with the hostages.
The deceased gunman has been identified as William Owens, 39, of Sicklerville, NJ. One of the hostages was reportedly a former girlfriend. The hostages were unharmed.
According to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney General, police from multiple departments including members of the Gloucester County SWAT Team, responded to the UPS facility at approximately 8:45 a.m. on reports that a man with a gun had taken two female hostages inside the facility.
Police evacuated the facility and blocked off surrounding roads. Birch Creek Road was barricaded and Center Square Road was closed between Interstate 295 and Route 130. Businesses and schools in the area were put on partial lockdown.
According to the Attorney General’s office, the incident was resolved around noon when multiple members of law enforcement fired at Owens, who was armed with a handgun. Owens was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to NJ.com, records show Owens had a criminal record including aggravated assault, and weapons charges, and most recently, violating a domestic violence order.
The shooting occurred at the same time Gloucester County Prosecutor Charles Fiore was giving an initial update at the Logan Township Municipal Building on the situation. He had to come right back to the stand, reporting that shots were fired and the gunman was down, but didn’t know his condition.
In New Jersey, all police deadly force incidents must be investigated. The Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team is investigating this case because of the involvement of the Gloucester County SWAT Team.
