KEANSBURG – A 28 year old Keansburg man was taken into custody last night after a nearly 6 hour standoff with police, announced Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey.
At approximately 3:45 pm on Friday, August 20, 2021, officers from the Keansburg Police Department responded to home of Anthony Hoff, located near Seeley and Carr Avenues in the Borough, for a welfare check as a result of a call to police from a concerned family member. At that time, Hoff became belligerent and threatened the responding officers while refusing to come out of his residence.
The Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT) and Monmouth County Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) were then activated and members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office,Keansburg Police Department and other surrounding law enforcement agencies responded to the area at around 4:30 pm. During the standoff, the man threatened officers with the use of a firearm and threw a knife in the direction of police. After several hours of negotiation, at approximately 9:40 pm, Hoff was taken into custody without incident and transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
Linskey credited the members of MOCERT and RDF, the Keansburg Police Department and other county and localagencies for their efforts in defusing this situation. “I thank the responding officers for their efforts in doing all that was possible to de-escalate this situation. Because of their professional and measured actions, this incident ended without injury,” said Linskey.
Hoff was charged with offenses including third degree Terroristic Threats, third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, fourth degree Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, third degree Burglary and disorderly persons Criminal Mischief.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
