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Garfield Man Charged With Attempted Murder For Shooting Accused Car Burglar Due In Court Friday

UPDATE: A 37-year-old Garfield business owner who shot a car burglar in the back before dawn Tuesday is scheduled for a first court appearance on attempted murder charges Friday in Hackensack.

Omar Smadiya / INSET: Christoph Manon-Velez

Omar Smadiya / INSET: Christoph Manon-Velez

Photo Credit: MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR

Omar Smadiya, who owns and operates a moving and storage company, also is charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (meaning: the gun is legal, but the use of it wasn't) and possession of high-capacity magazines.

Smadiya remained held Thursday in the Bergen County Jail pending Friday's court appearance.

It was just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday when he armed himself with a Glock 19 Gen 4 handgun and confronted 19-year-old Christoph Manon-Velez as the teen rifled through Smadiya's Toyota Camry outside his Farnham Avenue home, authorities said.

Manon-Velez "had burglarized several vehicles in the area just prior to the shooting," Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo noted.

Manon-Velez apologized, then ran.

Smadiya fired three times, hitting him once in the back, records show. The bullet came out his chest.

The fleeing Manon-Velez made it to a McDonald’s several blocks away on Passaic Street, where responders said they found him after being alerted by an employee.

Manon-Velez was served with a summons and released pending a Jan. 28 first appearance -- also Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack -- after being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center.

He's charged with third-degree burglary to a motor vehicle.

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