The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office says Hamilton Police Officer Tom White died by suicide.
On Monday, June 19, at about 3:10 p.m., Hamilton police officers responded to the scene of a motor vehicle crash on the 2700 block of Nottingham Way. First responders found White unconscious and unresponsive. White’s truck collided with a white commercial van. The driver of the van was not injured. White was pronounced dead at the scene.
The scene was processed by the New Jersey State Police Crime Scene Unit. An investigation is being conducted by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office serious collision response team and the Mercer County Homicide Task Force. An autopsy conducted Tuesday morning by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that White, who was off-duty, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
White, 44, was hired by the Hamilton Police Division and attended the Mercer County Police Academy, graduating in July 2009. He was assigned to the patrol bureau for seven years and received numerous awards. In February 2016, he was assigned to the educational services unit as a LEAD officer (Law Enforcement Against Drugs), permanently assigned to Reynolds Middle School. His duties included teaching various grades bicycle safety and the LEAD program,as well as serving as Officer Friendly. He was also a member of the Hamilton PAL Board of Directors as the director of the safety town program.
“Officer Tom White touched the lives of thousands of young people in Hamilton Township through his work with the LEAD program, as Officer Friendly, and as the director of Safety Town. He will be sorely missed, as an officer and a good friend,” Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said.
“Officer White was a fine officer that performed his job well and was extremely well-liked. He will be greatly missed. On behalf of the entire Hamilton Police division, our thoughts and prayers are with Officer White’s family,” Hamilton Police Chief James Collins said.
Anyone with information regarding the collision is asked to contact Mercer County Prosecutor’s Sergeant Gary Wasko at (609) 989-6317.
not the friendliest way to off yourself. kinda irresponsible and potentially even more tragic. wonder if he was trying to “take people with him” it’s a sad sign of where this countries true hearts lie; and it ain’t pretty.