Police Use Technology to Safely Resolve Erial Standoff

Police utilized a robot and "pepperball" projectiles to safely resolve a four-hour standoff in Erial Monday.

Police were dispatched to a Kendrick Avenue home at 2:53 p.m. on a report of a domestic dispute. Thomas Kamenski, 38, wielded a meat clever and a metal pipe in confronting and threatening the responding officers, according to Gloucester Township Police Lt. Ed Bryant.

Kamenski then barricaded himself inside the home, at which point the Police Department's Special Response Team (SRT)—a unit commonly referrred to as SWAT—and Crisis Negotiation Team were summoned.

During several unsuccessful attempts to contact the suspect, police also utilized a robot in an attempt to locate Kamenski inside the home, but were unable to find him with the help of the machine.

Kamenski was eventually observed in a second-floor bedroom, lying on the ground with several edged weapons within his reach, Bryant said. He appeared to be disoriented.

At around 7 p.m., the SRT unit was sent into the home, where they found Kamenski had barricaded himself inside the bedroom, screwing its door closed.

With the weapons still on the ground near him, Kamenski refused to show his hands once the SRT officers entered the bedroom.

SRT responded by firing "pepperballs" at the suspect to facilitate his arrest while minimizing risk of injury, Bryant said.

The "pepperballs" are fired from a pepperball launching system, which utilizes high-pressure air launchers to deliver projectiles from a distance.

"Gloucester Township Police have long believed in the value for law enforcement with this less lethal system providing another force option to save lives including the life of the officers involved and the subjects involved such as Thomas Kamenski in this incident," Bryant said.

Kamenski was charged with terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon, and was served several outstanding warrants out of Cumberland County. He was lodged in Camden County Jail on $40,000 bail after he was evaluated at an unspecified hospital for apparent drug and alcohol intoxication.

Initial reports from police indicated the standoff occurred on Hazel Avenue.

Hazel Avenue, located off Jarvis Road and nearby Freeway Golf Course, becomes Kendrick Avenue.