JERSEY CITY — Police officers exchanged gunfire with a war veteran at the beginning of a 12-hour standoff in West New York this weekend, authorities said
Emmanuel Hernandez, 27, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, eluding, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault on a police officer.
Police received a 911 call just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday of a man with a gun inside a red Infiniti, according to a criminal complaint.
North Bergen police officers spotted the car at the QuickChek on Kennedy Boulevard and when they approached Hernandez he became “combative” and ran over one of the officers’ foot with his car, the complaint states.
Hernandez then fled the scene and returned to 57th Street home. He got out of his car, pointed the gun at two North Bergen police officers and “fired several rounds with the intent to kill them,” according to the reports.
One of the officers returned fire with Hernandez before he barricaded himself in the basement of the apartment for nearly 12 hours, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
Neither Hernandez or any police officers were struck by the gunfire, Suarez said.
After the standoff, a handgun and shotgun with high capacity magazines were found inside the home, Suarez added.
Hernandez appeared in Criminal Justice Reform court Monday afternoon before Judge Robert Nieto, who informed the 27-year-old that the state motioned for pretrial detention.
His attorney Mario Blanch argued against the state’s motion, saying he did not receive the proper documentation about the investigation. He also noted Hernandez scored a one out six on his public safety assessment.
“All I have is copies of allegations, allegations that are not substantiated obviously,” he said. “My client maintains his innocence your honor, and as a result thereof I am asking the court release him.”
Nieto said he could not change the state’s motion, adding Hernandez would be seen for a hearing before Judge Paul DePascale on Thursday morning.
After the hearing, Blanch told The Jersey Journal Hernandez served nearly 10 years in the Navy and served overseas in Iraq. He believes his client may have had some kind of “break” as a result of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“What he needs is help, not incarceration,” Blanch said in the back of a Hudson County courtroom.
Suarez credited the Bergen County SWAT Team for “methodically coordinating the negotiations with the barricaded suspect and its tactical decision making throughout the ordeal.”
She additionally credited the North Bergen Police Department, West New York Police Department, the Union City Police Department, Guttenberg Police Department, FBI, Hudson County Office of Emergency Management, New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management, North Hudson Fire and Regional Rescue, Office of Homeland Security Investigations, West New York Medical Services, Jersey City Medical Center Emergency Services, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s for aiding in the standoff.
“This was a spontaneous and extremely volatile situation that could have turned out differently but for the patience and hard work of law enforcement professionals,” she said. “Given the scope and magnitude of the situation, I am thankful that the matter was resolved peacefully.”
West New York Mayor Felix Roque told several media outlets on Sunday that he helped end the standoff by speaking with Hernandez — whose father was a patient of his at his medical practice. When asked why Roque was not mentioned in its official news release on the incident, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment.
When reached by phone Monday evening, Roque was effusive in his praise for the law enforcement response to the situation.
“It was about good restraint, it was about professionalism. Anybody could have fired their gun, anyone could have done something and it would have been chaos,” Roque said. “All I can say is they did an phenomenal job.”
The mayor said he talked to Hernandez several times during the course of the standoff from inside a S.W.A.T. vehicle. Roque added that his wife works for Henandez’s uncle, who also was in communication with the 27-year-old. Roque said Bergen County Police Det. David Saldana brokered Hernandez’s peaceful surrender.
“I am going to say I was part of it, but was I the integral part? No,” the mayor said.
“It was a miracle that nothing happened.”
Jersey Journal city editor Patrick Villanova contributed to this report.
Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
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