Authorities say both teens brought weapons to a street altercation that escalated quickly.
Hackensack, NJ – A street fight between two teens in Hackensack escalated into a violent stabbing after one allegedly swung a machete, leading to criminal charges against both individuals, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.
Police were called around 3 p.m. Tuesday to Banta Place and State Street, where officers found a 16-year-old with a stab wound. The teen was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center in stable condition as investigators began piecing together what led to the attack.
Authorities determined the confrontation began earlier at Central Avenue and Union Street, where the 16-year-old and 18-year-old Joaquin Morris Jr. were involved in an altercation along with another juvenile.
Weapons drawn during street confrontation
During the fight, the 16-year-old “produced a large machete” and swung it multiple times at Morris, according to Musella. Morris then pulled a knife and “swung the knife multiple times, stabbing the 16-year-old juvenile in the torso.”
After the stabbing, Morris and another juvenile fled the scene. The injured teen was later located by first responders a short distance away near the City Hall complex.
Key Points
- 16-year-old allegedly swung machete during Hackensack fight
- 18-year-old Joaquin Morris Jr. accused of stabbing teen in torso
- Both suspects charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses
Arrests and charges follow investigation
The 16-year-old was charged Wednesday with juvenile delinquency, including second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and multiple weapons offenses. After being released from the hospital Friday, he was placed in the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Facility pending court proceedings.
Morris was arrested Friday and charged with the same offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He remains held in the Bergen County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.
The investigation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Hackensack Police Department, with assistance from several regional law enforcement agencies.
Prosecutors emphasized that the charges are accusations and that both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.