Heroes: Hackensack Officers Capture Kidnapper, Rescue Victim

A laborer was dragging a kidnap victim down a driveway in broad daylight when two Hackensack police officers rushed to the rescue, authorities said.

Omer Alvarado
Photo Credit: *HACKENSACK PD / MUGSHOT: BCJ*

Jerry DeMarco

02/14/2023 2:05 p.m.

Officer Wanda Rivera and Special Police Officer Nicholas Mazzaccaro were on patrol on Hudson Street when they saw the victim being dragged behind a building around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, Capt. Michael Antista said.

Following the sounds of the victim’s shouts, the officers seized city resident Omer Alvarado, 46, the captain said.

They found that Alvarado had assaulted the victim, who was known to him, and was dragging the person back into a home after an escape attempt, said Antista, the officer in charge of the Hackensack Police Department.

The victim sustained minor injuries and didn’t require medical treatment, he said.

Alvarado remained held in the Bergen County Jail on Tuesday, Feb. 14 pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack. He's charged with kidnapping and simple assault.

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