David Chang

Officer Shoots, Kills Knife-Wielding Man During Standoff: Police

An officer shot and killed a man early Saturday morning after he allegedly threatened police with a knife and held his girlfriend hostage during a standoff situation in Manchester Township, New Jersey.

Manchester Township Police went to a mobile home on the 1800 block of Route 37 West around midnight to issue an arrest warrant for 25-year-old Shyna Palmieri. When the officers tried to execute the warrant, Palmieri and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Michael Laniado, allegedly barricaded themselves inside the mobile home. Police say the couple then grabbed several large objects, including a spear, inside the home and began throwing them at the officers.

The responding officers retreated and called the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team. After the SWAT Team arrived a hostage negotiator tried to convince the couple to peacefully surrender but they allegedly refused. The officers then inserted a robot with a cellphone inside the mobile home and overheard Laniado threatening Palmieri, investigators said.

Police say they feared for Palmieri’s safety and fired tear gas into the home. Laniado then stepped out of the home while allegedly holding Palmieri at knifepoint and threatening to kill her. Police say Laniado then tossed the knife over his shoulder, indicating he would surrender. When officers moved towards him however, Laniado allegedly pulled out another knife and walked towards them.

Police say they fired several non-lethal dummy or bean bag rounds at Laniado but they had little effect on him. As Laniado continued to walk towards them with the knife in his hand, at least one officer took out a gun and fired several shots. Laniado was struck several times. He was taken to the Community Medical Center in Toms River where he was pronounced dead. The entire standoff lasted for nearly four hours, investigators said.

Palmieri was taken into custody. No officers were injured during the incident and both knives Laniado allegedly used were recovered at the scene. Police say one of the knives Laniado was carrying was a large karambit knife, a martial knife with a curved blade.

The Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team is currently investigating the incident.
 

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