Armed Woman Charged After SWAT Standoff At Somerville Apartments

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A Somerville woman was arrested after a SWAT standoff at a Somerville apartment complex on Thursday night.

On Thursday at around 4:45 p.m., construction workers were performing maintenance work at the Brookside Apartments. At the time, Celeste E. Jensen, 31, came out of her apartment, began shouting obscenities at the worker, and pointed a handgun at him before running back into her apartment, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.

Somerville Police tried to talk to Jensen and a man who lived in the apartment to come outside but they refused, Robertson said.

Police found that the man had three registered guns in the apartment, Robertson said.

Raritan Borough Police and Bridgewater Township Police set up a perimeter and some residents nearby were temporarily evacuated.

The Somerset County Emergency Response Team which includes the Somerset County SWAT team, Crisis Negotiators Team, Tactical Emergency Medical personnel, Somerset County Field Communications, and Somerville Fire also came out.

At around 8:45 p.m. Crisis Negotiators were able to get Jensen and the man to come out of the apartment.

A search of the apartment found three firearms and one shotgun, Robertson said.

Jensen was charged with second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and second-degree aggravated assault.

Jensen was taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a bail detention hearing. The man was not charged.

Anyone with information relating to this incident to contact the Somerville Police Department at 908-725-0331 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous
reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for
free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line
at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be
kept confidential.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

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