SWAT Standoff: Stabbing Suspect Sets Fire, Tosses Furniture Out Window, Seized After Struggle

A suspect in a stabbing set fire to his clothes, then began tossing furniture at police cars out the window of his second-floor Clifton apartment Thursday before a Passaic County Sheriff's SWAT team stormed in and seized him, authorities said.

Jerry DeMarco

01/13/2022 3:02 p.m.

Police tried negotiating with the combative 32-year-old tenant after they determined the fire was extinguished in the Lexington Avenue apartment above a city business, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said.

But he only "became more angry and began to toss chairs and other hard objects from the second-floor window, damaging patrol cars that were parked outside," Bracken said.

It was while they were trying to talk him out that police realized he was wanted on charges of aggravated assault and weapons possession for a stabbing a few weeks ago on Highland Avenue, the lieutenant said.

Two hours passed before members of the Passaic County Sheriff's SWAT Team tossed in a flash-bang grenade and rushed the apartment.

One of them sustained an arm injury during a struggle and was taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center for treatment, Bracken said.

The suspect was also taken to St. Joe's, where he was being evaluated and treated. Given the situation, his identity wasn't publicly disclosed.

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