WESTFIELD, NJ – The Westfield Police Department apprehended resident Michael P. Ward, 41, on the morning of Thursday, following a 14-hour standoff. Ward, from the 1500 block of Boulevard, was taken into custody after police were called to his residence twice on Wednesday, for a reported domestic dispute.
Ward brandished a large kitchen knife, 12” in length, and refused to drop it when confronted by officers. He then retreated inside the residence, leaving only after the SWAT element of the Union County Emergency Response Team was called to the scene. Negotiators attempted communication with Ward for several hours before the SWAT team entered the residence at 5:31 AM, taking him into custody.
Ward has been charged with one count of Aggravated Assault, one count of Terroristic Threats, one count of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of Children.