A Linden man has been arrested and charged with criminal offenses in connection with a police standoff that took place at his home on Sunday evening, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Linden Police Chief David Hart jointly announced on Tuesday.
Police say Mr. John P. Mooney, 36, is charged with third-degree arson, third-and fourth-degree aggravated assault against a police officer, third-and fourth-degree weapons offenses, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and simple assault and unlawful criminal restraint, both disorderly persons offenses.
Linden Police Department officers responded to Mooney’s Furber Avenue home at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and found an adult female victim, who had sustained minor injuries as a result of an alleged assault.
According to officials, officers found Mooney at home as well, who refused to surrender, initiating a standoff with police.
During the course of the standoff, the defendant allegedly punched out a front window of his home, set several household items on fire, threw objects such as bricks and knives at officers, and fired a nail gun at police.
As a result, two police officers sustained minor injuries and an SUV parked in the home’s driveway was heavily damaged.
Ultimately, members of the Union County Arson Investigation Unit, the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and the Union County Emergency Response Team (UCERT) SWAT Unit – including UCERT/SWAT Commander and Union County Undersheriff Dennis Burke, UCERT/SWAT Chiefs’ Liaison and Berkeley Heights Police Chief John DiPasquale, and Prosecutor Ruotolo – all responded to the scene.
Through a collaborative joint effort involving those agencies, the defendant was taken into custody without further incident at approximately 8:15 p.m. and was transported to a local medical facility for treatment and evaluation.