By: Richard L. Smith
A tense confrontation unfolded in Secaucus on Sunday evening when a man allegedly fired at two police sergeants following a report that he had threatened a woman with a handgun and taken her phone.
According to a statement released by the Secaucus Police Department, officers were initially dispatched around 7:45 p.m. on June 1 to investigate a complaint from a woman who reported that an acquaintance had taken her cellphone and menaced her with a firearm inside an apartment on County Avenue.
Roughly an hour later, at approximately 8:47 p.m., Sergeants Joseph Fuardo and Peter Maraldo spotted a man matching the suspect’s description seated in the open doorway of 25 County Avenue.
As the uniformed officers approached, they reportedly saw a handgun appear from inside the doorway.
The man—later identified as 59-year-old Dhanraj Dass of Jersey City—allegedly fired a shot at the sergeants, prompting them to take cover.
A second shot was fired as Sergeant Maraldo moved to a more defensible position. Dass then retreated into the building, triggering a large-scale response from local law enforcement and emergency agencies.
As Secaucus officers worked to establish a perimeter, Dass reportedly exited the building through a separate door and was taken into custody without further gunfire.
No weapon was recovered at the time of his arrest, and out of caution, police issued a shelter-in-place order and requested regional support in case other suspects remained inside the building.
Responding to the scene were officers from Bayonne, West New York, North Bergen, Hoboken, Lyndhurst, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Jersey State Police.
The Hudson County Regional SWAT Team also responded, safely evacuating employees from the area before clearing the building.
A court-authorized search of the apartment later led investigators to a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, which authorities said was reported stolen from Texas.
Additional evidence connected to the shooting was also recovered at the scene.
“This incident highlights the danger our police officers face on a daily basis, and I am so grateful none of them were injured,” said Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller.
Dass now faces multiple charges, including two counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault on law enforcement, terroristic threats, unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, receiving stolen property, and possession of handgun ammunition without a permit.