Clifton NJ police are searching for a teenage suspect accused of robbing a homeless woman and later assaulting a man who tried to intervene in the robbery.
According to law enforcement, the robbery went down around 9:00 p.m. at the intersection of Parker Avenue and Highland Avenue in Clifton, New Jersey. The suspect allegedly approached a 59-year-old homeless woman who was sitting near a wall and tried to grab her cell phone, as well as cigarettes.
The attempted robbery was reportedly thwarted when the victim s friend, a homeless man, came to her assistance. At that point, the suspect allegedly used a knife to slash the male victim. According to witnesses, the suspect was also carrying a handgun when he committed the violent assault.
The suspect eventually decided to bail on the robbery attempt and ran from the scene.
Afterwards, someone dialed 911 and alerted the Clifton Police Department to the attempted robbery and assault. Emergency medical responders with the Clifton Fire Department soon arrived at the scene and treated the victims for injuries they sustained in the attack.
Clifton NJ police are actively investigating the violent incident.
If investigators can eventually determine the identity of the suspect, he would likely face criminal charges for armed robbery and aggravated assault. The suspect has been described as a man who is probably in his late teens.
Clifton police have asked for members of the public with information about the incident to contact detectives 973-470-5908.
For further information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Teen Tried to Rob Homeless Woman, Slashed Man Who Came to Her Aid, Cops Say.”
