A man called 911 claiming he was homeless and suicidal on Saturday, triggering a nearly six-and-a-half-hour-long standoff.
Authorities said the man armed with a knife barricaded himself, but the Paterson police, New Jersey State Police negotiators, and State Police Emergency Response Team successfully convinced him to surrender.
At 4:56 p.m., Paterson Police responded to a call near the Great Falls where a man was holding a large knife and seemed ready to harm himself. New Jersey State Police negotiators and Emergency Response Team members were also called to the scene. Paterson Police maintained communication with the man while the State Police negotiators provided assistance. Around 11:26 p.m., the man surrendered and handed over the knife.
The Crisis Team at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center was kept informed by law enforcement to ensure a transition to mental health services. The man was then taken to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center.
“While each situation is unique, in this instance thanks in large part to the Paterson Police Department and the New Jersey State Police Emergency Response Team, this situation was resolved peacefully,” said New Jersey attorney general Matthew Platkin. “I want to thank Interim Officer-in-Charge NJSP Major Fife for his leadership of the Paterson Police Department, the officers of the department and our community partners as we work together to ensure a safer Paterson and more transparent department.”
Frederick Fife, the officer-in-charge for the Paterson police, said, “patience and dedication allowed us to resolve the matter and ensure that the proper steps were taken to keep the community safe.”
Platkin seized control of the Paterson police force last month after an eerily similar incident that ended with the police killing of 31-year-old Najee Seabrooks.
No charges filed as the incident is being treated as a mental health matter and falls under law enforcement’s community caretaking function. The individual’s identity is not disclosed due to their crisis, authorities said.