Police Arrest Jersey City Man After Threat To Hoboken Hospital

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Hoboken police said Monday that they had charged Eliezer Ocasio, a 39-year-old Jersey City man, with terroristic threats and false public alarm after someone called 911 Saturday afternoon saying he'd placed a bomb inside Hoboken University Medical Center.

Police said Monday that they received the call around 1:25 p.m. It took until 4:30 p.m. to finish a search for devices at the hospital, police said.

The hospital was not evacuated, but surrounding areas including Church Square Park, across the street, were closed off.

"Multiple Hoboken Police Officers under the supervision of Sergeant Steven Kranz responded," police said Monday, "along with Jersey City Police Bomb Squad/K9, Hudson County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad/K9, Hoboken OEM Sergeant William Montanez, and the Hoboken Fire Department. A search of the hospital was conducted by Hudson County and Jersey City Bomb Squad/K9 units. The surrounding areas to the hospital were closed off and Church Square Park was cleared of pedestrians."

The investigation into who called in the bomb threat was conducted by Det. Bret Globke and Det. David DiMartino. The investigation led them to a payphone in the area of 400 Newark St., in the southwest corner of town and several blocks from the hospital, police said.

Through their investigation, the detectives identified the alleged caller, they said.

At about 5 p.m. the Jersey City police told Hoboken police they had arrested Ocasio on charges in their jurisdiction. Det. John Quinones generated a warrant complaint charging Eliezer Ocasio with Terroristic Threats and two counts of False Public Alarm. Ocasio was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.

The defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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