Newark man charged with dousing Jersey City boy, father with gasoline in jealous rage

July 02, 2010, 9:59 PM
Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

Tracy Ferguson of Newark is accused of throwing gasoline on a 9-year-old boy and his father in Jersey City today and then trying to set the dad on fire, police said.

A Newark man has been charged with attempted murder after throwing gasoline on a 9-year-old boy and his father and trying to set the dad on fire on a Jersey City street this morning, officials said.

Tracy Ferguson, 39, was looking to exact revenge on the father -- his old girlfriend's new boyfriend -- officials said.

Ferguson was arrested at Franklin Street and Palisade Avenue by police officers who chased him down after he attacked the father and son on Hancock Avenue as the dad was walking to boy to School 8 at 8:30 a.m., Police Chief Tom Comey said at a news conference this afternoon.

Ferguson was charged with two counts of attempted murder, aggravated arson, weapons offenses related to a stun gun he was carrying and numerous other offenses, Comey said.

Police said Ferguson has prior arrests in Newark and East Orange.

This afternoon the boy remains at the Jersey City Medical Center where he is being treated for chemical burns to his scalp from the gasoline but he is expected to be OK and will likely be released later today, officials said.

The father, who is thought to be the target of the attack, is at the hospital with the boy.

Comey said police in the Heights have responded to previous calls of domestic violence in which Ferguson has allegedly tried to exact jealous revenge on his ex-girlfriend.


Pamela Suchy/The Jersey Journal
Jersey City Police Capt. Phil Zacche speaks at this afternoon's news conference about an attack on a man and his 9-year-old son who were doused with gasoline. Police Chief Tom Comey is third from left.
This morning Ferguson hid between two parked cars and when the victim and boy walked past he threw a large soft drink cup full of gasoline on them, Comey said, adding that he then took out a flare and tried to ignite it but could not.

"If he got it ignited, we would have had a very different situation," Comey said.

It was then that Officer Elaine Disbrow passed by and the frantic victim showed her his gasoline-soaked shirt and said, "He's trying to kill me. He's throwing gasoline."

Ferguson took off and the victim ran after him, police.

Disbrow broadcast a description of Ferguson and his direction of flight. Officers Victor Alsina and Lamor Nelson joined the chase and when they caught up with the victim and Ferguson at Palisade and Franklin, the victim shouted, "That's the man that tried to set me on fire."

Alsina ordered Ferguson to halt and realized he was trying to hide something.

"I told him, 'Stop, let me see your hands,'" Alsina said at the news conference. "He complied and that's when the stun gun fell out of his hands."

Ferguson was arrested without incident and is being processed in the North District police station.

"He shows no remorse," Comey said. "He's as cold and calm as can be."

The chief praised the work of the officers saying, "It was their quick thinking that averted a tragedy."

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said the charge of attempted murder carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each victim upon conviction. The prosecutor said aggravated arson carries a sentence of up to 10 years.

Great job JCPD North...I can't even imagine the horror that this little boy is going through.

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From the Jersey Journal

A Newark man has been charged with attempted murder after throwing gasoline on a 9-year-old boy and his father and trying to set the dad on fire on a Jersey City street this morning, officials said.

Tracy Ferguson, 39, was looking to exact revenge on the father -- his old girlfriend's new boyfriend -- officials said.

Ferguson was arrested at Franklin Street and Palisade Avenue by police officers who chased him down after he attacked the father and son on Hancock Avenue as the dad was walking to boy to School 8 at 8:30 a.m., Police Chief Tom Comey said at a news conference this afternoon.

Ferguson was charged with two counts of attempted murder, aggravated arson, weapons offenses related to a stun gun he was carrying and numerous other offenses, Comey said.

Police said Ferguson has prior arrests in Newark and East Orange.

This afternoon the boy remains at the Jersey City Medical Center where he is being treated for chemical burns to his scalp from the gasoline but he is expected to be OK and will likely be released later today, officials said.

The father, who is thought to be the target of the attack, is at the hospital with the boy.

Comey said police in the Heights have responded to previous calls of domestic violence in which Ferguson has allegedly tried to exact jealous revenge on his ex-girlfriend.

gasoline-douse-jersey-city-2.jpgPamela Suchy/The Jersey JournalJersey City Police Capt. Phil Zacche speaks at this afternoon's news conference about an attack on a man and his 9-year-old son who were doused with gasoline. Police Chief Tom Comey is third from left.
This morning Ferguson hid between two parked cars and when the victim and boy walked past he threw a large soft drink cup full of gasoline on them, Comey said, adding that he then took out a flare and tried to ignite it but could not.

"If he got it ignited, we would have had a very different situation," Comey said.

It was then that Officer Elaine Disbrow passed by and the frantic victim showed her his gasoline-soaked shirt and said, "He's trying to kill me. He's throwing gasoline."

Ferguson took off and the victim ran after him, police.

Disbrow broadcast a description of Ferguson and his direction of flight. Officers Victor Alsina and Lamor Nelson joined the chase and when they caught up with the victim and Ferguson at Palisade and Franklin, the victim shouted, "That's the may that tried to set me on fire."

Alsina ordered Ferguson to halt and realized he was trying to hide something.

"I told him, 'Stop, let me see your hands,'" Alsina said at the news conference. "He complied and that's when the stun gun fell out of his hands."

Ferguson was arrested without incident and is being processed in the North District police station.

"He shows no remorse," Comey said. "He's as cold and calm as can be."

The chief praised the work of the officers saying, "It was their quick thinking that averted a tragedy."

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said the charge of attempted murder carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each victim upon conviction. The prosecutor said aggravated arson carries a sentence of up to 10 years.

Story Link - JJournal

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WTF!!!!


Jersey City boy doused with gasoline outside school, officials investigating

Published: Friday, July 02, 2010, 10:15 AM
Updated: Friday, July 02, 2010, 10:19 AM
Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

Jersey City arson investigators are at School 8 on Franklin Street in Jersey City after a boy was doused with gasoline this morning.

A Jersey City boy was doused with gasoline as he walked with family members to a Heights School at about 9 a.m. this morning, officials said.

Fire Department Director Armando Roman said arson investigators are at School 8 on Franklin Street conducting interviews right now. The gasoline was not ignited, Roman said.

There are reports that an arrest has been made.

A woman in a deli across the street from the school said she saw someone running away before fire trucks arrived.

Roman said more information will be available shortly.


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