Three New Jersey Transit police officers were credited for subduing an axe wielding man, eventually deploying pepper spray, at Hoboken Terminal last week, authorities said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
On Wednesday, October 25th, NJ Transit Police Officers Brian Rea, Joseph Ragazzo, and Randy Vargas were on patrol at Hoboken Terminal, the department posed on social media.
The officers were on the main concourse when they heard calls for help from the main waiting room. They entered the waiting room and observed a suspect wielding a large camping style axe.
The suspect had the axe in hand and was aggressively advancing towards a fleeing man.
To protect the fleeing man, the officers positioned themselves between him and the armed suspect, who refused to comply with officers’ verbal commands to drop the axe.
Rea subsequently created distance and deployed pepper spray in an attempt to deescalate the situation. After additional coordinated efforts, the suspect was apprehended, and the axe was recovered.
“These officers acted without pause to protect the fleeing man and every commuter in the waiting room. Their actions exemplify our NJTPD core values: Honor, Commitment, Integrity, and Courage,” the department added.