Officers from the 1st Precinct charged two suspects with carjacking after they overpowered a 53-year-old Newark resident and forced him from his car Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.
According to Director Ambrose, after the suspect’s took the victim's car, the victim ran down the street to the Department’s 1st Precinct where he reported the carjacking to officers inside.
The victim said the suspects had crashed the car and that he last saw them running westbound on Hunterdon Street.
Director Ambrose said, Lieutenant Christopher Brown, Sergeant Victor Manata, and Sergeant Keith Jones ran to the parking lot, grabbed a patrol car, and raced to the Hunterdon Street where they observed the two alleged suspects walking west on Hunterdon Street.
Upon seeing the approaching officers, Director Ambrose said the suspects ran but were apprehended after a brief foot chase.
Police also recovered a knapsack dropped by the duo that contained several credit cards and cellphones that did not belong to the suspects.
The investigation is ongoing with the two suspects likely to faces additional charges pending the outcome of the investigation.
**Damon Barrett, 18 of Newark, and a 17-year-old** accomplice were both charged with carjacking Director Ambrose said.
Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose stated, “These two suspects were removed from our streets by the quick actions of these three officers. Far too often, their efforts go unrecognized. The arrests of these suspects will keep others from being victimized, while providing detectives an opportunity determine their involvement in other crimes.”
These are mere allegations lodge against Barrett and the juvenile suspect. The pair are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.