A Mercer County Corrections officer was shot to death at the Baldassari Regency banquet hall early Sunday by a gunman who opened fire on a second-floor rear deck from a parking lot below, police said.

Carl Batie, 26, of Willingboro, was off-duty and a patron at a function at the bar and restaurant on Morris Avenue when the shooting occurred.

Batie was not alone on the second floor deck, but none of the other people with him were injured, Lt. Steve Varn said. Police would not say whether or not he was the intended target, but Regency owner Eddie Baldassari is certain Batie was an innocent victim.

"It's, really, a real tragedy for that family," Baldassari said. "Unbelievable. I can't imagine this happening."

A verbal confrontation between a man who tried to get into the event and security officers who denied him entry was followed by the shooting by about 20 minutes, Baldassari said. The gunman opened fire on the deck, which is used as a smoking area, when about 25 to 30 people were gathered there, including a guard with "security" written across the back of his shirt.

Baldassari believes the two events are connected, and said it's possible the shooter was trying to hit the security guard. Late yesterday morning, more than 20 police evidence markers likely denoting shell casings were left from the 1:15 a.m. shooting.

County corrections officials were notified of the death of Batie, who graduated the agency's training academy in May 2008.

"We notified them early this morning, right after it occurred," said Varn, head of the department's detective bureau.

Batie was on the deck around when "numerous" shots were fired from the Regency parking lot behind the building, Varn said. Police believe a single gunman was responsible.

"Carl Batie was an exemplary officer who had a special place as a member of the first graduating class of corrections officers," Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes said in a statement. "He was a dedicated public servant, a first-class officer, and respected by all who worked with him."

Trenton police officers working an off-duty security side job at the Regency reacted immediately after the shooting, searching the area for a suspect, but without success. No other injuries were reported.

Detectives will review security camera footage at the Regency and in the area as part of their investigation, Varn said. No arrests have been made and no suspect description was immediately available.

Batie's killing is the 20th homicide in Trenton this year. Four homicides each were reported in the months of October and September.

Detective Scott Paterson is the lead investigator, assisted by Detective Bryan Cottrell of the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office. Anyone with information on the crime should call police at (609) 989-4170, or the Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.