Police arrested two men and charged them with possessing a gun, drugs and cash in Newark.
According to authorities, shortly before 9pm Saturday evening,'detectives arrested two 30-year-old Newark men with two fully loaded guns, an AK-47, a 9mm handgun, drugs and cash announced Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.
Acting on a tip, detectives from the Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau surrounded the Grace West Housing complex looking for a man armed with an assault weapon. As they walked into the complex from different directions, they saw two men standing in the courtyard talking near a utility shed. One of the two men was holding what was later determined to be an Ak-47 assault weapon, the other a handgun authorities said.
Seeing the approaching officers, the two paused before tossing the guns in the shed and running. Lyonel Finklea was arrested in the courtyard after a brief foot chase.
The second suspect, Nakeem Shariah broke into an occupied apartment on Irvine Turner Blvd where he stayed refusing to come out. Members of Department’s Emergency Response Team responded and entered the apartment where they arrested Shariah according to authorities.
Both men were charged with various offenses including possession of an assault weapon, a handgun, possession of the weapons for unlawful purposes, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of a defaced firearm.
They were also charged with resisting arrest, possession of hollow point bullets, an extended magazine and numerous narcotic related offenses for possessing 142 packets of heroin. Finklea was additionally charged with aggravated assault on police officers and Shariah with burglary and kidnapping.
Nearly $500 was confiscated from the two men as proceeds from narcotics sales authorities said.
Director Ambrose stated these officers used great restraint. They were definitely outgunned when they encountered a man armed with a fully loaded assault weapon yet they arrested him and his accomplice without firing their guns.
"We have removed more than 300 guns from our streets and we arrest armed suspects on almost a daily basis without having shot or killed anyone this year" Ambrose said.
Ambrose urges people to continue reporting crimes and quality of life complaints by utilizing the Department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers’ tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).
All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.