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Joseph Nieves, 20, kept running but eventually was chased down by the officers who, just moments before, drew their weapons.
Nieves was with two other men when Officers Brian Culmone and Gerard Speziale Jr. saw him stick the gun in his waistband just before 3 a.m. Sunday Curtis Place and Van Houten Street, Police Director Jerry Speziale said.
After getting out of the cruiser, Speziale Jr. drew his service weapon and ordered Nieves to put his hands in the air, the director said.
Nieves hesitated at first, then bolted north on Curtis Place towards Broadway, he said.
The officers chased Nieves, ordering him to stop.
At one point Nieves ran into the street, where a good Samaritan in a Jaguar tried to cut him off, driving at him, in an attempt to assist the officers, Speziale said.
Nieves kept on running and then pulled out the gun, the director said.
Speziale Jr. again shouted at Nieves, who was holding the weapon, he said.
Nieves then threw it over a guardrail and continued to run on Curtis Place toward West Broadway, where Speziale Jr. grabbed him.
Culmone grabbed the discarded Bersa Thunder .380-caliber handgun – which had its serial numbers removed – and popped out its loaded, 15-round high-capacity magazine.
The gun was sent to the New Jersey State Police Ballistics Lab to determine whether it was used in any other crimes – and, possibly, where it came from.
Nieves, of Paterson, was sent to the Passaic County Jail on various weapons charges, as well as fleeing, eluding and illegal possession of a large-capacity magazine.
He remained held there Monday night.
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ALSO SEE: A 14-year-old Paterson boy was among three people caught with a semi-automatic handgun and ski masks by an alert detective with the new Passaic Police Gang Unit, authorities said.
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