LAWRENCE (Mercer) — A Trenton police officer was charged with child endangerment and strangling his girlfriend, who police say he had threatened to kill on several occasions.

Township police filed the charges against officer Elijah Mitchell, 28, after becoming aware on Aug. 4 of incidents starting in March.

Mitchell was charged under a 2021 law that elevated the felony of domestic violence strangulation, an act of violence that has preceded almost half of all domestic violence homicides.

A report was initially filed with Princeton police, which determined the woman was assaulted in the home she shares with Mitchell.

Mitchell was taken into custody Friday and suspended with pay pending a state-required hearing.

He has been on the force since September 2018, according to public records.

He was charged with three counts of domestic violence strangulation, two counts of threatening to kill, one count of criminal coercion and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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