FANWOOD — A 49-year-old borough man was arrested after allegedly firing shots at police during a standoff that ended this morning, Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park said.
John Antonucci allegedly started firing at officers with a rifle shortly before midnight at a home on 59 Locust Avenue in Fanwood, according to authorities. When officers arrived on scene, the man started yelling at police and was seen in a window brandishing his weapon, Fanwood Police Chief Richard Trigo said. When he allegedly started firing at police, officers returned fire, authorities said.
The standoff shut down NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line in both directions for seven hours after the suspect allegedly fired shots towards the train tracks, NJ Transit spokesman William Smith said today.
Negotiations lasted nearly seven hours and Antonucci was taken into custody shortly before 7 this morning. He is expected to face multiple weapons charges and other offenses when he is formally charged, according to Trigo.
Antonucci had more than a dozen short and long barrel firearms inside his home, according to the police chief.
Police responded to a 911 from a neighbor call for shots fired, Mark Spivey, spokesman for the Union County Prosecutor's Office, said.
No one else was at home during the standoff and authorities are investigating what sparked the incident, he said.
Train service resumed at 7:18 a.m. NJ Transit provided bus service to transport passengers through the suspended service area earlier this morning, Smith said.
No one was seriously injured during the incident.
Fanwood police received operational support from the Union County SWAT unit, Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Police Department, Union County Office of Emergency Management, NJ Transit Police, the Scotch Plains Police Department, and the Westfield Police Department.