Newark Men Accused of Armed Robbery, Shooting at Police

Four Essex County men have been arrested and another remains at-large who robbed an Elizabeth scrap metal yard, restrained the employees and exchanged gunfire with police on Friday, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said.

Michael Howard, 22, and Rafael Clemons, 27, both of Irvington, and Sharod Saunders, 30, and Steven Chambers, 47, both of Newark, have been charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree carjacking, aggravated assault and multiple weapons offenses.

According to the Union County Prosecutor's Office, the men restrained the employees of Bayway Scrap Metal near the Goethals Bridge as they loaded items into a truck at about 3 p.m. Friday.

Elizabeth Police spotted the truck a short time later on Routes 1 & 9, prompting a brief pursuit in which the men shot at police who returned fire, the prosecutor's office said. No one was struck during the gunfire exchange.

The pursuit ended on North Avenue East where three of the men were apprehended, the prosecutor's office said. A fourth man carjacked a pickup truck during the getaway attempt, but was arrested a short time later at an Elizabeth housing complex, the prosecutor's office said.

No one was seriously injured during the robbery, pursuit and arrest. Four weapons were recovered, including three handguns and an AK-47, the prosecutor's office said.

Bail was set at $1 million each.

The New Jersey State Police, the Union County Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor's Office detectives assisted with the investigation.