By: Richard L. Smith
On Sunday, May 19, at approximately 1:00 PM, Harrison Police Department patrol units responded to a call for service at the Hampton Inn hotel.
The hotel management reported that a guest refused to leave after his paid stay had ended.
When management attempted to contact the guest outside his room, he refused to speak, and a sound resembling a firearm being loaded was heard.
Police conducted a welfare check on the room's occupant but were initially unable to make contact. Instead, they heard grunting noises from inside.
Despite multiple attempts to communicate, officers again heard a sound consistent with a firearm being racked. As a precaution, patrol units maintained a safe distance from the room.
The Harrison Police Department Emergency Response Team quickly secured the perimeter and evacuated nearby rooms in the hotel.
A wider perimeter was established outside the hotel, and all pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the vicinity was halted.
An area in town was set up to temporarily accommodate displaced hotel patrons, with transportation provided to and from this zone.
The scene was handed over to the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team upon their arrival.
The SWAT team safely removed the occupant from the room, and he was immediately transported to the hospital for medical attention.
A subsequent search warrant conducted by the Harrison Police Department Detective Bureau yielded negative results for any illegal items.
The room's occupant was issued complaint summonses for theft of services and obstruction.
The Harrison Police Department appreciates the cooperation and patience of the public and hotel patrons during the incident.