BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ — A SWAT standoff has ended in the arrest of an armed man who police say threatened a landscaper with a gun in Berkeley Heights, said police.
At around 11:14 a.m. on Monday, Berkeley Heights Police Officers went to a home on Wren Court following a report of a man brandishing a handgun at a landscaper.
Officers learned that the suspect allegedly chambered a round and shouted statements toward the landscaper before going back into his home, said police.
The man then refused to leave the home, prompting a police response to ensure the safety of nearby residents, according to police.
"Due to the proximity of the incident, police coordinated with Woodruff School to ensure that no students or staff were permitted outside as a precautionary measure," said police.
The Union County SWAT Team came, and after a brief standoff, the suspect, identified as Angel Alvarado, was taken into custody without further incident.
Criminal charges are pending, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Police Chief Frank Mea commended the professionalism of Berkeley Heights officers, as well as the support provided by the Union County SWAT Team and surrounding law enforcement agencies.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Berkeley Heights Police Department at 908-464-1111 and request Detective Patrick Moran.
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