2nd Jersey City man is arrested on charges connected to woman's kidnapping, pistol-whipping of boyfriend, theft of money from home safe, shots fired at cops

Saturday, December 04, 2010
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Police have arrested a second man on charges of firing at police officers after fleeing an armed robbery in which a woman and her children were held at gunpoint and a man was pistol-whipped Tuesday, officials said.

William J. Mitchell, 23, of Stevens Avenue, surrendered at his attorney's office at 11 p.m. Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued charging him with attempting to murder two officers, kidnapping and robbery, Police Lt. Edgar Martinez said.

Ishmael Gardner, 27, of Bidwell Avenue, was tracked down by police dogs shortly after the 9:39 p.m. crime on Bostwick Avenue and he faces the same charges, Martinez said, adding that both men are also charged with possession of a firearms by a felon.

Police are searching for a third suspect, Martinez said.

The 32-year-old victim told police that when she got out of her car two men with guns approached and one grabbed her by the throat, saying he was going to "pop her" if she didn't take them to her apartment, reports said. She pleaded, saying her three children where home, but they dragged her into the elevator in a headlock, reports said.

Inside the apartment, the suspects found the woman's boyfriend and one of the gunmen began pistol-whipping him while the other forced the woman and her children into a bedroom, reports said.

While the men forced the boyfriend to open a safe, the woman dialed 911 and with police sirens blaring the robbers grabbed about $800 and ran, reports said.

Outside the building, police yelled for the robbers to stop, but they opened fire on the officers as they split up and ran through yards, reports said.

CRIME IS DOWN. Didn't you hear, and they want to lay off 82 Police Officers. Pack your bags people this is just the beginning.

One arrest after Jersey City cops fired on by two suspects in robbery that started with Greenville woman being forced to take men into apartment where her three kids were waiting for her

Thursday, December 02, 2010
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jersey City police officers came under fire Tuesday as they chased two suspects fleeing a brutal kidnapping-robbery in Greenville that led to one arrest of a felon and the recovery of three guns, officials said.

Ishmael Gardner, 27, of Bidwell Avenue, was arrested after the incident on Bostwick Avenue at 9:39 p.m. and he was charged with kidnapping, robbery, burglary, resisting arrest and weapons offenses, reports said. Officials said he is a convicted felon.

Officers responding to an apartment building off Martin Luther King Drive on a call of an armed robbery in progress immediately spotted two men, who fired at the cops and ran, reports said.

The 32-year-old victim told police that when she got out of her car two men with guns approached and one grabbed her by the throat, saying he was going to "pop her" if she didn't take them to her apartment, reports said.

The woman pleaded for them to let her go, saying her three children where in the apartment, but they dragged her into the parking deck elevator in a headlock, reports said.

Inside the apartment, the suspects found the woman's 32-year-old boyfriend and one of the gunmen began pistol-whipping him while the other forced the woman and her children into a bedroom, reports said.

While the men forced the boyfriend to open a safe, the woman dialed 911 and with police sirens blaring, the robbers grabbed about $800 and ran, reports said.

Outside the building, police yelled for the robbers to stop but they opened fire on the officers as they split up and ran through yards, reports said.

With the help of police dogs, Gardner was found in the basement of a nearby building, reports said. Three guns were recovered. Police say they are also looking for a third suspect.