49 apartments evacuated as man allegedly threatens ex-girlfriend
A Jersey City man is facing multiple charges after police were dispatched to the 600 block of Sixth Street in Hoboken to answer a report of a domestic disturbance on Sunday, Feb. 8.
A female resident called police and said her ex-boyfriend allegedly “pushed into” her apartment and allegedly started destroying property, police Captain Anthony Falco said last week.
Police said the victim told them that her ex allegedly locked himself in the apartment and said, “If I can’t have you, no one can.” She told police the ex-boyfriend allegedly said to her, “I’ll kill you and then I’ll kill myself.” Then he allegedly punched her in the face.
A neighbor and small child were also present in her apartment. The neighbor and child took refuge in another apartment, and the ex-girlfriend followed to that apartment. They called police at 5:02 a.m.
Police said the man, later identified as a 31-year-old from Jersey City, ran to the neighbor’s apartment and allegedly told the ex-girlfriend if she was not out in five minutes, that he was going to kill her.
Police said when they arrived, the man had allegedly locked himself back in the ex-girlfriend’s apartment. They reported hearing crashing sounds inside, and were not sure if anyone was in the apartment with the suspect, so they forcefully entered.
Once inside, police announced their arrival. They said the man allegedly ran to the rear of the apartment, entered the master bedroom, and closed the door.
Police found the kitchen stove turned on but not lit, they said. The stove also appeared to have been pulled away from the wall in an alleged attempt to create a gas leak, police said.
They said the man barricaded himself in the bedroom using a dresser, and as police tried to enter, they created a hole in the door. The suspect allegedly threw glass objects at the officers through the hole, police said.
Officers backed away and prepared to rush the bedroom. The man was told to put his hands where police could see them.
But as officers approached the door with guns drawn, he allegedly lunged forward with an 8-inch kitchen knife, and police withdrew from the door.
They said the man threw more furniture toward the entrance of the bedroom, and allegedly hurled objects through the hole in the door.
Officers made a second attempt at entry and doused the suspect with pepper spray. According to police, the pepper spray had no effect on the man, so they radioed for assistance from the Port Authority Emergency Services Unit. The unit is specially trained for standoff situations.
Police said it took the Port Authority Unit 30 minutes to arrive from JFK Airport in New York City.
During that time, the man allegedly told police he had a gun inside the bedroom and allegedly said he was intending to commit “suicide by cop,” Falco said.
The Port Authority Unit arrived and told the man to kneel to the ground with his hands on his head. According to police, he allegedly threw objects through the door and pieces of furniture at the entrance. Responders made a third attempt to enter, but the man allegedly made more stabbing motions with the kitchen knife toward the officers and continued throwing objects.
When police made a fourth attempt to enter the bedroom, they said the man allegedly lit clothes and furniture on fire, creating a dangerous situation for the whole building. Police evacuated 49 apartments on seven floors, and fire responders shot water into the apartment bedroom where the fire began.
Smoke filled the apartment from the small blaze, and the Port Authority Unit used the low visibility to storm the bedroom. The man allegedly brandished the knife, but was subdued by officers.
According to police, when they escorted the man out of the building, he saw his former girlfriend and allegedly said, “I’m going to kill you, [expletive],” police said. The man also allegedly spit in the face of a police captain and another officer, according to the police report.
Once at headquarters, police noticed the man was bleeding from a stab wound in the right side of his abdomen. The man is now recovering from surgery at Jersey City Medical Center.
No gun was found on the scene by police.
The police were not injured, and the female victim was treated for minor injuries.
The arrested man was found to have two outstanding warrants, one from the N.J. Parole Board and another from the U.S. Marshals, police said.
He was charged with two counts of throwing bodily fluid at law enforcement officers (spit), resisting arrest, two counts of aggravated assault, burglary, making terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, and a separate charge of unlawful possession of a weapon.
Bail was set for the man at $225,000 and he was not allowed to post the usual 10 percent deposit.