Two days after a bombing in New York City left 29 injured, police took the suspect wanted in connection with that blast and two other explosive incidents in New Jersey into custody on Monday. He was wounded after exchanging fire with police.
Multiple outlets reported that Ahmad Khan Rahami was arrested in Linden, New Jersey, four miles from Elizabeth, where police were searching his apartment after five bombs were found at a nearby train station.
Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage told local media that the man in custody was Rahami. Linden Mayor Derek Armstead also confirmed Rahami was in custody in a live interview with a WABC reporter.
WABC also captured dramatic video of Rahami being taken into custody.
In an interview with MSNBC, Linden Police Department Capt. James Sarnicki said Rahami was captured after a call came in around 10:30 a.m. of a person sleeping in the doorway of a local bar.
Rahami was sleeping when an officer approached him. Sarnicki said the officer recognized him from the FBI’s wanted posters because of his beard.
When the officer asked Rahami to show his hands, he alleged pulled out a small handgun and fired on the officer once, hitting him in the abdomen area of his bulletproof vest.
Sarnicki said the officer returned fire, at which point Rahami got up and started walking down the street, allegedly firing his weapon “indiscriminately” at passing vehicles.
At some point, Rahami was shot more than once. At the scene, Sarnicki said the suspect was conscious and awake before he was transported to the hospital.
Bollwage told NJ.com that two officers were shot, one in the vest and another in the hand.
One officer struck in vest after reported shoot out with bombing suspect. Rahmani is in custody. Condition Unknown.
— Anthony DiLorenzo (@ADiLorenzoTV) September 19, 2016
NBC NEWS: One officer shot in shooting involving Ahmad Rahami, the officer has non life-threatening injuries senior official says.
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) September 19, 2016
This post has been updated.
