Grueling Police Standoff Ends Without Injuries In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A nearly 24-hour standoff between police and an Essex County man ended without injuries in Irvington on Thursday, largely due to the “restraint” of the officers and the aid of health professionals and the man’s family, authorities say.

Police responded to the 300-block of Nesbit Terrace around 4 p.m. on Wednesday after getting reports about someone armed with a gun, according to a statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Irvington Public Safety Department.

After the officers arrived, Karim M. Brunson, 34, of Irvington, barricaded himself inside a nearby home. The officers immediately secured the area and requested assistance from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, which sent its tactical response team to the scene.

Negotiators with the sheriff’s office talked with Brunson throughout the night. In the meanwhile, other police officers evacuated residents in the immediate area. Those residents have been temporarily relocated with assistance from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, authorities said.

The standoff continued until Thursday afternoon, with Newark Police Department SWAT members also responding to the scene to help.

The encounter finally came to an end at 2:10 p.m., when authorities arrested Brunson and took him into custody.

Brunson has been charged with harassment and weapons possession. He will be detained at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark pending a court appearance, prosecutors said.

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens praised the “professionalism and restraint” of the responding officers.

“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.

Stephens also thanked health care professionals from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and concerned members of Brunson’s family, who assisted at the scene.

A police investigation continues. Authorities said anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

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