The Seymour police officer who shot a man during a standoff in May has returned to work.
Sgt. Stephen Prajer came back on duty last week, Lt. Paul Satkowski told the Board of Police Commissioners Thursday night at their monthly meeting.
However, the state police investigation into the fatal shooting at the Mobil gas station parking lot on Route 67 is still underway, Police Chief Michael Metzler said.
State police said that Prajer shot Seymour resident Agim Beqiraj on May 23 after Beqiraj allegedly shot himself and then raised his gun toward responding officers.
The medical examiner’s office classified the death as a homicide, but state police are still investigating evidence and ballistics that will determine which bullet — Prajer’s or Beqiraj’s — landed the fatal wound.
At the time, state police spokesperson Lt. J. Paul Vance said Prajer would be placed on administrative duty while the investigation progressed.
Thursday, Metzler said the department does not have light duty and that Prajer was on leave until he felt comfortable coming back to duty.
“A lot of people handle stress differently,” Metzler said. “He took enough time. He’s doing well.”
Once the state police conclude their investigation into the incident, Metzler said the department will conduct its own.
On May 23, Naugatuck police notified area departments they were looking for Beqiraj, 53, who might be despondent.
At about 1 p.m., Seymour police located Beqiraj’s car at the Mobil station on the Oxford line, and three officers surrounded it.
The officers saw that Beqiraj had a weapon and ordered him to leave the car, Vance said at the time.
Instead, according to Vance, Beqiraj shot himself at least once.
He then raised his gun toward the responding officers, Vance said.
That’s when Prajer shot Beqiraj in self defense, Vance said.
Beqiraj was pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital.
An autopsy report said Beqiraj was shot in the head and the torso.