A Jersey City woman aggressively fought with Bayonne police officers after she was caught shoplifting at the Bayonne Walmart yesterday, authorities said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Amber Chapman-Odum, 20, of Jersey City, was charged with robbery, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and obstruction of a governmental function, according to Police Lt. Eric Amato.
Yesterday around 4:22 p.m., officers responded on a report of shoplifting at Walmart. Upon arrival, officers were directed to Chapman-Odum by Walmart loss prevention officers who
advised the officers that they had witnessed Chapman-Odum shoplifting.
During the on-scene investigation, Chapman-Odum became highly agitated and belligerent and refused to cooperate with the investigation.
She was then advised that she was under arrest, at which time she proceeded to strike one officer about the upper body with an open hand. Officers then attempted to place Chapman-Odum into handcuffs but she continued to violently resist, officials said.
Officers were ultimately able to secure her in handcuffs and attempted to escort her out of the store. Chapman-Odum continued to resist the officers’ control and refused to accompany the officers out of the store, police said.
Once the officers were able to remove her from the store, Chapman-Odum proceeded to repeatedly kick two officers in an attempt to prevent being placed into the patrol vehicle, authorities said.
Eventually, they were able to successfully secure her in the rear of the patrol vehicle and transported her to the Bayonne Medical Center to be treated for respiratory issues.
The two officers who were assaulted also received treatment at the Bayonne Medical Center for complaints of pain as a result of the assault, officials said.
