By: Richard L. Smith
After nearly a tense 24-hour standoff, police successfully took 34-year-old Karim M. Brunson of Irvington into custody this afternoon.
Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said the standoff began on September 4 at approximately 4:00 p.m. when Irvington police were dispatched to the 300 block of Nesbit Terrace in response to reports of an armed individual.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers encountered Brunson, who then barricaded himself inside a residence.
Accoridng to Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, IIIrvington Police immediately secured the area and requested backup from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team (TRT) arrived to assist, while trained negotiators worked through the night to communicate with Brunson.
As the situation unfolded, officers successfully evacuated nearby residents with assistance from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, ensuring the safety of those in the area.
The standoff persisted until the afternoon of September 5, when the Newark Police Department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) joined the operation.
By approximately 2:10 p.m., Brunson was taken into custody without any injuries to civilians, officers, or the suspect.
Brunson now faces charges of harassment and weapons possession and is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility, pending an appearance in Essex County Central Judicial Processing Court.
Essex County Prosecutor Stephens praised the professionalism and cooperation of all the responding agencies. “The communication and cooperation amongst all of the responding agencies enabled this incident to be concluded without injuries to the public, law enforcement, and the suspect,” he said, also thanking healthcare professionals and Brunson’s family for their assistance in resolving the incident.