A New Jersey actor best known for providing face models in the “Resident Evil” video games was charged with attempted homicide after police say he shot a woman during a daytime road-rage incident that sent Stockton University into a temporary lockdown.
Authorities identified the suspect as Ernest Wesley Heinz, 48. According to the Galloway Township Police Department, the incident occurred last Thursday when Heinz allegedly cut off a woman who was attempting to merge at a red light. Capt. Mark D’Esposito said the man exited his vehicle, began cursing at the driver and threatened to kill her as she remained in her car.
“As they approached the light, the male yelled at her, reached his hand out the window and fired a single shot,” Capt. D’Esposito said. The woman reported being struck in the face — sustaining a non-fatal wound to her nose — and then called police. Officers said Heinz fled the scene and drove onto Stockton University campus grounds.
The victim remained conscious and was able to give authorities a description of Heinz’s vehicle, a white Honda SUV, and the direction he went. The university campus was placed on lockdown while police searched the area; officials said the lockdown lasted approximately three hours.
Police used the information provided by the victim to locate Heinz later the same day and arrested him at a residence near the campus. He was booked on a charge of attempted homicide and was being held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing this week.
The Galloway Township Police Department posted a professional headshot of Heinz online in lieu of a traditional mugshot. Authorities released limited additional details about the investigation, and prosecutors will determine charging decisions and next steps at the upcoming hearing.
Heinz’s acting credits are limited. Local and entertainment records show he provided face models in two “Resident Evil” video games, had an uncredited role on “The Sopranos” and last appeared in a short film titled “The Soul of Blue Eye” in 2014. Representatives for Heinz could not immediately be reached for comment.
The victim was treated for the facial wound; police described it as non-life-threatening. The case remains under investigation by the Galloway Township Police Department and Atlantic County authorities. Prosecutors and police did not immediately release a motive for the alleged shooting.
The arrest comes amid broader national attention to road-rage incidents that escalate into violence. Local university officials coordinated with law enforcement during the campus lockdown, which officials said was lifted after officers completed a sweep of the grounds and located no immediate continuing threat.
Further court dates and specific charges beyond the attempted homicide count will be determined during the defendant’s detention hearing and any subsequent proceedings, court records show.
