Suspect used baby as human shield, shots fired during Newark standoff: police

Tuesday, July 29, 2025
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A suspect was taken into custody after a tense standoff with law enforcement that involved a baby in Newark on Monday.

It happened at 445 Irvine Turner Boulevard around 11 a.m.

The suspect barricaded himself inside the home and officials say at one point, shots were fired from inside the house at law enforcement.

Police say the suspect tried to keep law enforcement at bay by using a baby as a human shied.

"I do know he did have a baby, I know the police retrieved the baby from his custody, we have the child so the child is not in danger, thank god, I don't know what he was trying to do, or what it was about, I do know he had a child with him and police safely removed the child from his care," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.



Officials say the suspect was wanted out of Hillside on a charge of attempted murder.

Law enforcement says the man was eventually taken into custody after 3 p.m. It was not yet clear if the suspect was wounded or not, but officials said he was taken to the hospital alive.

The baby involved in the incident was said to be unharmed.

Surrounding streets were shut down for several hours and neighboring homes were evacuated.

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