Crime & Safety

Cops: Man Shoots Rifle Near Family Member

The following arrest information was supplied by the Hopatcong police department. It does not indicate a conviction.

A Hopatcong man shot his rifle just feet above the bed where his family member was laying after they had an argument, police said.

Officer Richard Sadowski and Detective Mike Luciani responded to the Arrowcrest Lodge for a report of a dispute with a gun at 8:59 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

Fredrik Greaker, 67, was sitting calmly in a chair when the officers arrived, police said. But an investigation soon found Greaker had an argument in his apartment with a family member, police said.

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Then Greaker took out a 1918 Enfield Rifle from the closet that was loaded with eight .303 caliber rounds, police said. He fired one round 4 feet above the bed, where the family member was laying, police said.

The bullet traveled through the wall and wasn't recovered, police said. But the spent casing was discovered still chambered in the rifle, which had been put back in the closet, police said.

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Greaker was arrested and brought to the , where he was charged with second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose; second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons; third-degree aggravated assault; and making terroristic threats, a third-degree crime, police said.

Greaker was transported to Sussex County Jail en lieu of $50,000 bail.

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