A machete and a knife were allegedly used in a street altercation that left a 16-year-old wounded in Hackensack.
Hackensack, NJ – A violent confrontation between two juveniles and an 18-year-old in Hackensack ended with a 16-year-old stabbed in the torso and two suspects now facing serious weapons and assault charges, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. The incident unfolded Tuesday afternoon and triggered a multi-agency investigation that led to the arrest of Joaquin Morris Jr. and charges against a second juvenile.
Authorities said Hackensack police responded at about 3 p.m. March 24 to the area of Banta Place and State Street for a report of an injured person. When officers arrived, they found a 16-year-old stabbing victim and learned the suspects had already fled. The teen was taken by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center in stable condition, officials said.
Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit joined Hackensack police in the investigation, with assistance from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators later determined the violence began at the intersection of Central Avenue and Union Street, where the victim was allegedly involved in an altercation with another juvenile and Joaquin Morris Jr., 18, of Hackensack.
Key Points
- A 16-year-old was stabbed during a confrontation Tuesday afternoon in Hackensack
- Authorities said the injured teen allegedly swung a machete while Joaquin Morris Jr. allegedly used a knife
- Morris Jr. and a 16-year-old juvenile now face aggravated assault and weapons charges
Investigators say both sides were armed
According to the prosecutor’s office, the 16-year-old victim was allegedly carrying a large machete during the fight and swung it at Morris Jr. multiple times. At the same time, authorities said Morris Jr. allegedly produced a knife and swung it repeatedly, stabbing the teen in the torso.
First responders ultimately located the wounded juvenile at Banta Place and State Street after Morris Jr. and the other juvenile had already run from the scene, investigators said. The release did not say how far the victim traveled after the altercation or whether any other injuries were reported.
As a result of the investigation, the 16-year-old juvenile was charged March 25 with juvenile delinquency, specifically second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree possession of a weapon. After being released from Hackensack University Medical Center on Friday, the juvenile was placed in the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Facility pending further action in Superior Court Family Law Division.
Morris Jr. arrested Friday in Hackensack
Authorities said Morris Jr. was arrested Friday in Hackensack and charged with second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree possession of a weapon. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.
The case was announced by Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, who said the charges at this stage remain allegations. “The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” Musella said.
Musella also credited multiple agencies that helped investigators track the case from the initial response through the arrests. He “would like to thank the Hackensack Police Department for its assistance in this investigation,” according to the release. The prosecutor also thanked the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department, and the Port Authority Police Department for assisting throughout the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jeff Angermeyer and the Hackensack Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Antista. No additional information about a motive for the altercation was released.