Boonton Detectives Investigate Knife Fight Outside Local Residence

Police in Boonton, NJ are investigating a recent stabbing that occurred outside a local home. The Boonton Police Department sent officers to a residence on the 200 block of Cornelia Street after receiving a 911 call shortly before 6:20 p.m. The caller was a 25-year-old man who said that someone stabbed him with a knife during a violent fight. When Boonton police officers got to the scene roughly 20 minutes later, they found the victim waiting outside and suffering from a stab wound to his upper torso. The victim was transported to Morristown Medical Center, where doctors treated him for his injury.

Stephen Jones, the Boonton police captain, later issued a news release about the violent incident. Jones stated that the victim reported unexpectedly encountering the suspect when he came from the victim’s backyard. The victim did not know the suspect and did not have any idea why he was on his property. When the victim confronted the suspect, the two of them got into a verbal dispute that quickly escalated and became physical. At some point, the victim reportedly took out a knife that he typically keeps on him for self-defense; however, the victim lost control of the weapon, allowing the suspect to grab it. The suspect reportedly used the knife against the victim and stabbed him in the chest.

Penalties for Aggravated Assault & Weapons Offenses in Boonton, New Jersey

Afterwards, the suspect fled the scene of the violent crime. The victim alerted Boonton police, which dispatched cops to the area. Boonton officers were joined by officers from other law enforcement agencies, including the Mountain Lakes Police Department, the Boonton Township Police Department, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. Despite canvassing the area around the Boonton home in search of the suspect, police could not find him.

If police are eventually able to arrest the stabbing suspect, he could be charged with aggravated assault or maybe even attempted murder. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which is addressed by the NJ Criminal Code in N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b), is a second degree felony and can result in a penalty of 5-10 years in NJ State Prison. Beyond that, since aggravated assault is one of the violent crimes listed in the No Early Release Act (NERA), anyone who is convicted of this offense would have to serve at least 85% of their prison sentence before they are eligible for parole.

Interestingly, the victim in the Boonton stabbing case might also be subject to criminal charges. The victim told Boonton detectives that he carried the knife for self-defense, but that claim will likely need to be investigated by police. In fact, it’s possible that the victim could be charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4, possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose is a third degree felony and carries a penalty of 3-5 years in New Jersey State Prison. (Possessing a handgun under similar circumstances is a second degree felony and carries a possible penalty of 5-10 years in state prison.)

Schedule a Free Consultation with Aggressive Criminal Attorneys in Morris County, NJ

If you or a loved one has been charged with a violent crime in Morris County, you need to talk to a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The experienced criminal lawyers at the Tormey Law Firm have successfully defended clients against aggravated assault charges in Boonton, Parsippany, Dover, and elsewhere in Morris County, NJ. Contact us today to discuss your case.