Officer Hospitalized With Injuries In Union County Mall Assault

ELIZABETH, NJ — An Elizabeth Police Officer was taken to a hospital with injuries following an assault at The Mills at Jersey Gardens, said Spokeswoman Ruby Contreras.

On Sunday at around 7:17 p.m., a man was reportedly trying to use counterfeit/prop money to pay for his meal at Applebee’s at 651 Kapkowski Road in Elizabeth.

Mall security came after the man became aggressive and tried to leave the restaurant, said Contreras.

An Elizabeth Police detective tried to detain the suspect.

The suspect resisted and assaulted the detective, hitting him multiple times in the head and face before running away into the mall parking lot, said Contreras.

The detective was able to arrest the man before he was taken to University Hospital.

The detective was treated at the hospital for his injuries, including lacerations to his head and forehead.

The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, was charged with second-degree disarming, second-degree aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, second-degree resisting, third-degree aggravated assault of a security guard, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, third-degree theft of services, second-degree robbery, and third-degree forgery.

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