Law enforcement recently arrested two brothers who have been accused of violently attacking a Bergenfield NJ cop.
The suspects, a 20-year-old male and a 21-year-old male, are both from Bergenfield, New Jersey. According to Bergen County prosecutors, the suspects got into a fight with a Bergenfield police officer during a late-night traffic stop.
It was a short time after 12:30 a.m. when a Bergenfield patrol cop spotted the suspects’ car double-parked on the side of Howard Drive in Bergenfield, New Jersey. The officer then performed a vehicle check, but he was interrupted when the 21-year-old suspect allegedly opened the driver’s side door and began to attack him.
The police officer and the suspect fell to the ground and continued to struggle. At that point, the other suspect allegedly exited the vehicle and assaulted the officer.
Several law enforcement agencies in surrounding towns dispatched officers to the scene, including the Teaneck Police Department, the Englewood Police Department, and the Tenafly Police Department. The cops arrived at the scene and quickly apprehended the two suspects.
The suspects have been charged with multiple crimes, including aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Moreover, one suspect also face criminal charges for hindering apprehension.
Just before the violent assault, a number of other men reportedly exited the suspects’ vehicle and fled the scene on foot. They have not yet been identified or arrested.
The Bergenfield cop involved in the altercation was taken to Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck NJ so that he could receive medical treatment for his injuries. Doctors later discharged the victim from the hospital.
Meanwhile, the two assault suspects were transported to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, NJ. One suspect is still in police custody at the correctional facility; however, the second suspect was released on his own recognizance.
The suspect’s release has prompted some officials to criticize the state’s new bail reform system, which allows non-violent offenders to be released on their own recognizance in many instances.
For more information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “Man Attacked Cop, Released the Same Day, Authorities Say.”