Armed robbery suspect arrested in East Orange

EAST ORANGE, N.J.

Police say the man walked into the 'Family Dollar Store' Tuesday morning, produced a gun, and asked the clerk for all the money in the register.

When the clerk said he had just triggered the silent alarm, the suspect walked out.

"The employee hit the panic button, told the suspect he did and that police would not be far behind him," said East Orange Police Inspector Thomas Koundry.

East Orange Police officers responded to the location and obtained a description of the suspect.

Investigators began monitoring the city's surveillance cameras for the suspect, and spotted him on Park Avenue.

Police say officers converged on the area, and when the man tried to run, the officers blocked him with their vehicle.

They brought him to the ground as he was running, with his gun ejected from his waistband.

The suspect, 26-year old Khaijuan Purnell, is charged with Robbery, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, Obstructing the Administration of Justice, Resisting Arrest by Flight, and Resisting Arrest by Force.

He is currently awaiting arraignment on $150,000 cash bail.

Police credit their crime monitoring, cruiser tracking system for helping them grab their suspect, just ten minutes after the incident.

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