PRESS ADVISORY: MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL INCIDENT
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information:
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad, the South Hackensack Police Department, and the Port Authority Police Department are investigating a series of connected events that occurred earlier this morning throughout Bergen County, NJ.
On Sunday, October 13, 2024, at approximately 2:34 a.m., the South Hackensack Police Department responded to a business on Route 46 following a motor-vehicle crash and a reported stolen vehicle. The occupant of the crashed vehicle abandoned it in South Hackensack after crashing, and attempted to steal another nearby vehicle, but was unsuccessful. The suspect, however, successfully committed an armed carjacking of an additional vehicle, allowing him to flee the scene before officers arrived. Responding officers notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and detectives from the Special Investigations Squad initiated a joint investigation. Detectives soon learned that the crashed vehicle was previously stolen out of New York City during an armed carjacking.
A short time later, the vehicle carjacked from the business in South Hackensack was found disabled on the George Washington Bridge. Officers from the Port Authority Police Department responded and located the suspect of the carjacked vehicle. The suspect was in possession of a knife and attacked the officers. He also attempted to steal a police patrol vehicle during the confrontation. The suspect was ultimately apprehended, transported to a local area hospital, and remains in custody pending charges related to the incident. Further details and the suspect’s identity are being withheld at this time while initial criminal charges are filed in Bergen County Superior Court and additional investigative steps are completed.
As a result of the incident on the George Washington Bridge where the suspect produced a knife, three Police Officers from the Port Authority Police Department were treated at a local area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and have since been released.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, the South Hackensack Police Department under the direction of Chief Robert Chinchar, and the Port Authority Police Department under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar. In addition, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office is coordinating with detectives from the New York City Police Department. At this time, while the investigation remains active and ongoing, no further information is available.