Man shot by trooper sent to wrong address is out of hospital

CAMDEN, N.J. – A 76-year-old man shot by a state trooper inside his home after a disconnected 911 call was mistakenly traced to his address is now out of the hospital.

Gerald Sykes was wounded in the July 29 shooting in Upper Deerfield Township, a largely rural area about 40 miles south of Philadelphia.

Sykes was released Monday with three bullets still inside him, The Philadelphia Inquirer (http://bit.ly/2aSLI1e) reported. Doctors feared that removing the bullets would cause further bleeding, but relatives say the bullets can be removed if they cause complications.

Authorities say two troopers were dispatched to Sykes’ home after the 911 call was erroneously traced to his location. Authorities have said the troopers knocked on the front door and went around to a back deck after not getting an answer. There was an exchange of gunfire through the sliding glass door, but officials haven’t said who fired first.

Richard Kaser, a family friend, said he visited Sykes in the hospital and spoke to family members.

Kaser said Sykes saw someone approaching his back door and thought it was an intruder. He said Sykes retrieved his shotgun and was standing inside the house when one of the troopers fired several times.

The trooper fired four rounds. Sykes fired once. Sykes was struck twice in the chest and once in the upper groin.

Sykes’ stepdaughter, Diana LaFalce, told the newspaper that he’s still sore and weak but improving each day.

“The trauma that his body took, it’s amazing that he is doing as well as he is,” LaFalce said.

The state attorney general’s office is investigating the shooting.

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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com