Newark Men Surrender To SWAT Team After Standoff: Police

NEWARK, NJ -- Authorities say that three suspects in Essex County, one armed with a handgun, surrendered to a SWAT team after a tense standoff when one of them ran into a home and refused to leave.

According to the Newark Department of Public Safety, shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, police responded to local bodega Yeci Supermarket at Shepard and Osborne avenues in Newark after receiving a report that a man was pointing a gun inside the store.

Responding officers saw three men fitting the descriptions flee from the scene, police said.

One of the men, Quamarl L. Boykins, 17, of Newark, was allegedly seen with a gun, police said.

Police said that two of the suspects, Amir Bey, 23, Samid Strothers, 20, both of Newark, tried to run from officers but were immediately apprehended.

However, Boykins ran into a residence on the 100 block of Shepard Avenue. He remained inside the home until 11:20 a.m., when a SWAT team negotiator secured his surrender, authorities said.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence and located a loaded 9mm handgun along with five paintball guns, 51 vials of cocaine and one glassine envelope of heroin. A fourth suspect, Terry A. Lewis, was arrested for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and two counts of CDS Possession (heroin and cocaine) for the evidence seized during the search warrant.

Authorities charged Boykins with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.

Authorities charged Bey, identified as the man who allegedly pointed the gun in the bodega, with Aggravated Assault, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose.

Authorities charged Strothers with possession of 433 vials of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute and with Contempt of Court.

Photos: Newark Department of Public Safety

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