John Fetter III was taken to jail June 4, the second time police were called to his parents' home that day. (Police call at right)
A man
killed by police following a standoff at his parents' Ventnor Heights home had a history of battles with his father, records show.
John Fetter III, 49, died at about 7:40 p.m. Monday, more than an hour after police were called to the home on the 700 block of North Burghley Avenue, after he allegedly threatened his father with a shotgun.
Police records show a domestic history between father and son, dating to at least Sept. 19, 2014, when the younger Fetter lived in a first-floor apartment a couple of blocks away on 100 block of North Derby, according to the complaints.
The problems increased beginning St. Patrick's Day of this year, with eight calls in less than three months where Fetter was named as the accused, and his father as the victim.
Three times ended with him being sent to the hospital for mental evaluation. Two ended when Fetter agreed to go to bed.
The last call before Monday night was on June 4, which ended with Fetter in the Atlantic County Justice Facility and his father granted a temporary restraining order.
"Complainant called stating male is becoming violent and about to assault his father," reads the report of the call that came in at 2:22 a.m., just 13 minutes after police had left the home for a call of a verbal argument. No action had been taken during that half-hour visit.
This time, the elder Fetter told police he had been "shoved/pushed and has pain in his back," the report reads. He refused medical treatment, but did file a criminal complaint and was granted a temporary restraining order.
Fetter was released four days later, according to jail records. It was unclear if the restraining order was ever made permanent.
Just two days earlier, police arrived to find Fetter "acting in a highly irrational manner possibly due to his prescribed medication mixed with alcohol (vodka)," the report reads.
He was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. His father refused to sign for a restraining order at that time.
The logs of the 13 calls obtained by breakingAC.com show the father regularly refused to sign complaints against his son or to seek a restraining order.
He did sign a complain Dec. 2, 2014, when police were called to the home at about 3:15 p.m.
The elder Fetter "had visible signs of injury to his face and mouth area," the report states. Photos were taken and Fetter was charged with simple assault.
Because he couldn't pay the $1,500 bail, Fetter was taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility. It was unclear when he was released at that time.
There had been three calls prior to that of the father complaining his intoxicated son was causing problems.
Fetter also had a fight with his brother, Vincent, in 2014 that led to both being charged with domestic violence-simple assault.
"Both claimed the other was the aggressor and both had caused injury to the other," the report states.
John III had a cut to his left elbow, while Vincent's right knee was cut. "Both were highly intoxicated," the report states.
Vincent tried to get a temporary restraining order against his brother, but Judge Howard Freed denied it, the report states, citing how intoxicated the man was.
Vincent Fetter was told he could come back when he was sober to complete the application.
Both men were released on their own recognizance: Vincent went back to his parents' home, while John III went to his apartment on Dudley Avenue.
It was not clear when John Fetter III moved into his parents' home on Burghley Avenue. The police reports at recent as May 10, show his address on Dudley.
At that time, Fetter was “highly intoxicated and causing a problem,” his father told dispatch. While officers were there, Fetter started having “delusional thoughts” and was voluntarily taken to the hospital.
A week later, a call to Ventnor's non-emergency police line brought officers to the Dudley Avenue residence because it came from the younger Fetter's phone.
“Father and son could be heard arguing in the background, but no one would come to the phone,” the report states.
But when officers got to the apartment at about 10 p.m., no one was there. They then went to the Burghley Avenue address, and found the two men in a verbal battle.
The younger Fetter was reportedly intoxicated and his father was satisfied when the son agreed to go to bed. At that time, the younger Fetter's address had been changed to his parents' home.
No report was available for the call that brought police to Burghley Avenue on Monday night.
According to a press release from the Attorney General's Office, Fetter had threatened his father with a shotgun, the pair struggled over it and 911 was called. At one point, his parents got out of the home. Fetter fired off at least two rounds, including one that struck a home across the street. No one was injured.
Police tried to get him to come out peacefully, the release said, but that when Fetter came out on the porch, he raised a handgun. A shot was heard, and then police fired on him. according to the preliminary investigaiton. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Attorney General's Shooting Response Team is investigating.
