A sexual assault suspect committed suicide while he was being pursued by Union City police officers early this morning, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The suspect, 57-year-old Union City man who is yet to be identified, was being sought by authorities after a female victim called in an incident in the vicinity of 20th Street and Bergenline Avenue early this morning, Suarez said in a statement.
Sources, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that the victim called stating she was the victim of a sexual assault.
Authorities said that officers followed the suspect to his second-floor apartment, where he delivered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
During this incident, a Union City police officer deployed his Conducted Energy Device,
commonly known as a taser. In accordance with the NJ Attorney General directive governing Conducted Energy Devices, the deployment is under investigation.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is actively investigating this case with assistance from the Union City Police Department and the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.
All information will be kept confidential.
Editor’s Note: This story was initially published at 1:58 p.m. citing anonymous sources. At 5:57 p.m., the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office sent out a press release corroborating our initial report, as well as providing new information.Â
