Charges Filed Against Westwood Man Who Allegedly Shot Paramus Officer

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office has filed attempted murder charges against the Westwood man accused of shooting a Paramus police officer late Sunday, authorities said.

Michael Sean Carmody, 23, who remains in critical condition with several gunshot wounds, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, as well as eluding and weapons violations, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said.

Carmody is accused of trying to kill Officers Rachel Morgan and Ryan Hayo, who came to her aid, Molinelli said. It is not clear if Hayo is the officer who shot Carmody.

Morgan stopped Carmody on Route 17 south shortly after 11 p.m., but Carmody sped away and Morgan gave chase, authorities said. He spun out on the entrance ramp to the Garden State Parkway and shot Morgan multiple times in the abdomen with a 9mm handgun when she approached his car, authorities said.

Carmody is under 24-hour watch at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson. No bail will be set.

Mayor Rich LaBarbiera says he continues to hear positive news about the Morgan's recovery.

"That's all we can hope for at this point," he said.

A Facebook page has been setup to provide support for Morgan as well as information about her recovery. A woman named Erica posted at 5:15 p.m, saying that Morgan was still critical but stable and had a "long, tough road ahead of her."

"Please keep your thoughts and prayers coming for Rachel and her family," she wrote. "She is the eptiome of strength and courage and those who know her, know she won't give up without a fight!  ... We love you #431!!"

The page was updated at 7:24 p.m., and said that Morgan underwent surgery on her hip today, is scheduled to undergo a second surgery on her abdomen tomorrow, and that doctors were being diligent about guarding against infection.

Likewise, hundreds of people have taken to Twitter to offer Morgan their support.

Carmody, a troubled 23-year-old Westwood man, Carmody was identified Monday morning as the shooter. Carmody was shot several times by at least one other Paramus officer who arrived at the scene, Molinelli said.

Morgan, who was wearing her bullet-proof vest, was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she is surrounded by family and fellow officers, Molinelli said.

The officer, who had previously been a cop at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, pulled over Carmody on Route 17 just after 11 p.m., Molinelli said. He fled the stop and Morgan gave chase, the prosecutor said.

Carmody lost control of his silver car on the ramp to the Garden State Parkway, and opened fire on Morgan, Molinelli said.

A release from the Prosecutor's Office said Carmody, Morgan and an unnamed backup Paramus police officer exchanged "many" rounds of fire. Molinelli said it would not be clear how many rounds were fired until after the investigation is complete, but said the number was "considerable."

Morgan's family, acting Chief Chris Brock, LaBarbiera and about 50 other officers were at the hospital with Morgan into Monday morning. 

Officials from Hackensack University Medical Center wouldn't comment, but LaBarbiera said he was told that Morgan's surgery went well, and that doctors were monitoring her for signs of infection. The dozens of well-wishers from Sunday night have gone, as doctors have limited her visitors to family members and close friends. He asked residents to keep Morgan in their thoughts and prayers.

"I don't think anybody has ever prepared for this type of event, but everybody came together," he said. "Chief Brock did an excellent job, the Prosecutor's Office was right on top of it, and we got through a very difficult night as well as could be expected."

Meanwhile, more is being learned about the heavily-tattooed Carmody, who has twice been arrested on drug charges, according to public records. In Oct. 2006, he was charged in Bogota with possession of marijuana, driving while intoxicated and having ficticious license plates. Two years later, in Oct. 2008, he was charged with distribution of more than 50 grams of marijuana on school grounds in Hackensack. 

The adjudication of either case was not immediately known.

Carmody was involved in a serious car crash in Aug. 2008 that claimed the life of his friend Robert Castro of Little Ferry. Carmody was a passenger in Castro's car when it crashed into a utility pole on Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City. He was ejected from the car and critically injured.

He posted a picture of a newspaper article about the crash on his MySpace page, as well as pictures of his injuries.

Carmody is originally from Jersey City and attended Ronald E. McNair Academic High School there, as well as Bogota High School. He lists himself as a business administration student at Bergen Community College on his Facebook page.

Bergen Community College spokeswoman Angela Harrington said Carmody was in his second semester at the college.

Among the people he quotes on the page are Malcolm X., the Dalai Lama, Bob Marley, Ghandi, Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson and John F. Kennedy. He also quotes himself.

"Hostility is ignorance in its purest form - Michael Carmody."

"I've had a hard life thus far but I have overcome all obstacles in search of a better future," he writes. On his MySpace page, he writes about getting "caught up in the legal system since I was 15 [and] still fighting to get out of it."

The shooting marked the first time a female officer has been shot in Bergen County since Fair Lawn officer Mary Ann Collura was killed on April 17, 2003. Collura and another officer were trying to arrest Passaic resident Omar Marti when she was shot.

Police in Florida shot Marti dead a few days after Collura, 43, was killed.