UPDATE – Suspect dead, two-week-old baby saved, families homeless

All victims can use your help – After a harrowing 9-hour standoff in Long Branch, the suspect, who was holding a two-week-old baby hostage, set fire to his house then came out the front door into the street, shooting at police in an attempt to escape.

He was protecting himself behind a police shield he had taken off an officer from the Prosecutor’s Office he had shot in the lower leg earlier that day. Officers returned fire killing the suspect, and then learned he was holding the baby behind the shield. The baby survived the ordeal unharmed.

The day after the situation, a burned out shell of the apartment house on Chelsea Ave. shows circles painted in the road where bullet casing landed after the shootout. There were multiple casing sites in the street and on the sidewalk.

The name of the suspect is still being withheld by officials.

To read full story on what happened from the beginning go to TheLinkNews.net. For a live videos go to The Link News Facebook page.

Clothes can be dropped off locally at places such as the Long Branch Elks Club and the Reformation Community Food Pantry and Community Clothes Closet at 992 Broadway, West Long Branch.

Click on A go fund me has been started for The Itzol family who has lived in the apartment for many years.

The back of the apartment house shows more of the extensive damage cause by he fire.