A one-half mile foot chase on Monday night resulted in the arrest of an armed suspect by Essex County sheriff’s detectives and Newark police officers.
According to authorities, a plainclothes law enforcement task force was conducting pro-active patrol operations throughout the city’s 4th police precinct when they detected the odor of burning marijuana in front of 298 Fairmount Avenue.
Officials say officers displayed their badges and approached a group of assembled males at that location. One of the males, later identified as Anthony Jenkins, 23, was observed with a marijuana cigarette in his mouth. As Jenkins put the cigarette out and placed it into his sweatshirt pocket, officers noticed the butt of a handgun protruding from the suspect’s waistband.
Police say Jenkins bolted from the scene and was chased by the officers as he ran through backyards, over fences and through vacant lots. During the chase, Jenkins threw the weapon, a .22 caliber, Heritage revolver, fully loaded with illegal hollow point bullets, to the ground.
Authorities immediately recovered the gun which was reported stolen from Gallia County, Ohio, on January 10, 2006.
According to officials, Jenkins was taken into custody without further incident at the parking lot of University Hospital on Bergen Street.
Authorities charged Jenkins with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of hollow point bullets, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest by flight and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
The suspect was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing.