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Armed Camden man jailed after standoff with Pleasantville police

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A Camden man allegedly brandished a gun at police after fleeing an hours-long standoff outside a Pleasantville business Sunday.
Junior English II, 29, was eventually taken into custody by police.
The incident unfolded in the parking lot of the Family Dollar Store on Delilah Road, where police were seen surrounding English's parked car with guns.
Police were alerted just after 1 p.m., to a possibly armed distraught man in a silver Nissan, Capt. Matt Hartman said.
When officers arrived, English was on his cell phone with a family member.
He initially refused commands to lower his window to speak with an officer, but eventually complied, according to the report.
Absecon Police Sgt. Mitch Levin, a trained crisis negotiator, arrived at the scene
The scene drew the attention of several passersby, many of whom took out their phones capture it on video.
"I was driving by and I just drove up on this, so not sure what's going on," said Kellie Cors as she posted live on Facebook, where her video was viewed more than 100,000 times.
Cors, who founded Peace Amongst the Youth after losing her son and then nephew to gun violence, said it was important to stop and record because "if you ignore things, you become part of the problem."
Levin maintained contact with English throughout the incident.
The Atlantic County Crisis Negotiation Team assisted Levin, as is protocol, along with personnel from the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Hartman said.
A woman on the scene said her child was in the car, but it did not appear she even knew the man, according to police. English was alone.
The Atlantic City SWAT team showed up around 2:45 p.m., in the BearCat armored vehicle.
English continued to refuse to exit the vehicle or show his hands, according to the report.
Several people were on scene videoing, encouraging the unknown man inside the car to come.
"You're on Live," one yelled. "Come out."
On a few occasions, Hartman came over to have the people move back, telling them they could continue record, but he just wanted them to be safe.
"If we end up engaging the gentleman in the car, the rounds will come this way," he warned them at one point.
Many stayed even as a thunderstorm pummeled them with rain.
At about 3:35 p.m., English suddenly exited the vehicle, brandishing a semi-automatic handgun in his right hand, Hartman said.
English briefly hestitated, then ran into the drainage basin behind the Family Dollar.
"He's got a gun and he's out," an officer told those gathered.
English stopped at one point along the fence line and crouched down, ignoring officers' commands to drop the handgun and show his hands, according to the report.
English then abruptly stood up and ran west along the fence line and over the fence into the wooded area toward the Sassafras Run apartments, Hartman said.
Multiple officers chased him, ordering English to drop the weapon. After initially refusing, he eventually dropped the gun and was taken into custody by Levin, and Pleasantville Patrolmen John Marciante, Xzavier Evans and JohnMarshall Robinson.
The handgun was recovered and found to have an unloaded 15-round magazine in the magazine well, Hartman said.
English, who sustained a laceration to his right hand, was treated at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center's City Camus and released.
An officer was also treated for a laceration, according to the report.
English was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, resisting by flight, possession of a high-capacity magazine and obstruction.
He is being held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing.
The Pleasantville Fire Department and Tricare EMS also assisted.

This story was originally published at 1:45 p.m. July 5, as the standoff was happening. It has been updated to include details, including the arrest and charges.

author

Lynda Cohen

BreakingAC founder who previously worked in newspapers for more than two decades. She is an NJPA award-winner and was a Stories of Atlantic City fellow.

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