New details after man killed, 2 officers shot in Atlantic City: Everything we know
New details after man killed, 2 officers shot in Atlantic City
The Attorney General’s Office released the identities of the deceased civilian and the officer involved in a fatal police shooting in Atlantic City on June 2, 2026, with the investigation ongoing and the decedent’s mother speaking out about her son’s death.
ATLANTIC CITY - The Attorney General’s Office has released the names of the man killed and the officer who fired his weapon during a fatal shooting involving Atlantic City police Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The shooting happened as officers tried to serve a warrant at a home on the 100 block of North Florida Avenue, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
What we know:
The Attorney General’s Office said Donald Gardner, also known as Donald Capriotti, 52, of Atlantic City, died after being shot by Officer Robert Reynolds.
The shooting happened Tuesday at about 2:55 p.m. while officers were serving a warrant at Gardner’s home.
Two officers were hit by gunfire and taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. Officer Reynolds was not injured.
One of the officers, SWAT Sergeant Christian Ivanov, remains in the intensive care unit, according to Gloucester Township Police. The second officer has been released from the hospital.
Gardner was pronounced dead at the scene on North Florida Avenue.
The Attorney General’s Office is required by law to investigate any death that happens during an encounter with law enforcement.
The local police union said in a statement, "This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers police officers face every time they put on the uniform and walk out the door to serve and protect our communities."
The backstory:
According to court records, Gardner spent much of the last 30 years in and out of prison.
He was convicted of killing a man in 1994 and released on parole in 2012 after serving 19 years. In 2013, Gardner was shot multiple times by police during a chase in Atlantic City, and his mother says he was paralyzed and used a wheelchair since then.
Gardner’s mother, Tina Capriotti, said she does not believe her son was armed when he was killed and wants answers about what happened.
"I want to know why they killed my son, that’s what I want to know," said Capriotti. She also said, "They left him here until 2 o’clock in the morning dead in a wheelchair and they’d didn’t give me one minute, one minute to see my son," Capriotti added, "He has a family that loves him no matter what. He got in trouble whatever happened growing up or whatever. We loved him."
Gardner had a long history with law enforcement, including a conviction for killing a man in 1994 and a police shooting in 2013 that left him paralyzed.
The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation into what led up to the shooting is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
What's next:
Fellow police officers have continued to visit AtlantiCare Medical Center, where Sergeant Ivanov is recovering.
According to a GoFundMe, Ivanov is a married father of three and a small business owner.
Gardner’s family is grieving and seeking more information about the shooting. His mother continues to question the circumstances and says she was not allowed to see her son after his death.
The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation is ongoing, and more details will be released as they become available.
What we don't know:
Officials have not released information about what led up to the shooting or whether Gardner was armed.
The Attorney General’s Office has not provided further details about the warrant being served or the events immediately before the gunfire.
The Source: Information from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Gloucester Township Police, and interviews with Tina Capriotti.