Officer Justified In 7-Eleven Shooting

The man who allegedly attempted rob the Langhorne Borough 7-Eleven and was shot by a police officer has been charged after being released from the hospital.

Charles Edward Emrich Jr., 54, of Langhorne Manor, was arraigned by District Judge Daniel Baranoski last week on charges of robbery, conspiracy, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, theft, receiving stolen property, and possession of an instrument of crime.

According to authorities, Emrich entered the 7-Eleven along North Pine Street around 9:45 p.m. on June 6. He was allegedly armed with a knife when he jumped the counter and removed the drawer from the cash register while getaway driver John Sugalski, 66, of Langhorne Manor, waited nearby. Sugalski was previously charged in the incident.

While Emrich allegedly committed the robbery, he did not know that a Bensalem police officer assigned to the FBI BucksMont Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force was not far away after taking part in surveillance of the two men following a string of robberies at convenience stores in Bucks County and New Jersey.

The officer, ,whose name was not released, entered the 7-Eleven during the robbery and confronted Emrich. He ordered him to drop to the ground and let go of the knife, but Emrich instead “aggressively” charged at him while screaming, authorities said.

Emrich ended up having two bullets pumped into him by the officer.

On Tuesday, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub announced that he ruled the Bensalem officer was justified in the shooting.

“Unquestionably, Emrich disregarded lawful commands to stop and drop his weapon. Emrich clearly placed the officer and the two store clerks in apparent and imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury,” Weintraub said in a written statement.

Emrich was rushed from the 7-Eleven to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown and underwent medical treatment for weeks.

The FBI assisted Bucks County investigators in the probe of the officer-involved shooting.

According to court papers, roughly 10 7-Eleven stores in Bucks County and Mercer County, New Jersey, were hit by suspects matching Sugalski and Emrich’s description between April and June. The robberies included stores in Bensalem, Penndel, Middletown, and the same Pine Street 7-Eleven in Langhorne.

Following an investigation into those incidents, local and federal officials began keeping tabs on Emrich and Sugalski.

On the night of the shooting, Bensalem police along with the FBI task force were conducting surveillance on the mens’ shared residence in the 300 block of Hulmeville Road when they spotted a car leave. The Bensalem officer assigned to the FBI task force who ended up shooting Emrich spotted the car as it arrived at the 7-Eleven and watched the robbery unfold.

Leading up to the robbery, customers were in the store.

The incident was captured on the surveillance video from the 7-Eleven.

Emrich and Sugalski remained in the Bucks County Correctional Facility as of Tuesday on 10 percent of $950,000.