LYNDHURST –
The Lyndhurst Police Department last week announced the capture of suspects wanted in connection with a stabbing at a local entertainment spot and with a residential theft.
On Monday, Aug. 11, at about 2 a.m., police were called to the Riva Blue night club, 525 Riverside Ave., on a report of a fight with injuries. Inside, on the second level, officers found Eric Burrell, 21, of South Orange, on the floor covered with blood.
Police said Burrell appeared to have sustained laceration type wounds to his chest and side. Lyndhurst EMS stabilized Burrell and transported him to UMDNJ Hospital, Newark, where he was treated for three stab wounds and a collapsed lung.
Burrell is expected to recover, police said. Police said Det. Sgt. John Mazure, Det. Sgt. John Kerner and Det. Vincent Auteri, all assigned to investigate the incident, learned the identification of the suspected attacker – listed as Malik Taylor, 21, of East Orange – after interviewing several witnesses and reviewing the club’s surveillance video.
No weapon was found at the scene but police believe a box cutter was used in the assault.
According to Det. Capt. John Valente, the victim and alleged attacker had known each other and “there was bad blood” between them.
Once the suspect’s ID was known, detectives went to Taylor’s place of employment in Union and to his home in East Orange but the suspect wasn’t at either location, but was alerted to the fact that police were looking for him.
Taylor subsequently turned himself in to Lyndhurst PD detectives on Aug. 12, police said.
Taylor was booked on charges of criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault with significant bodily injury, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and possession of a weapon and taken to Bergen County Jail after failing to post $250,000 bail set by Bergen County Superior Court Judge Lisa Perez-Fricia.
In the other incident, shortly after 1 p.m. on Aug. 12, police responded to the 600 block of Third Ave. on a report that someone had just taken a package from the front steps of a residence and fled on foot, east on Third towards Orient Way.
Police said a witness who spotted the would-be thief provided officers with a description and the suspect, identified as Flavio Arandi, 56, of Paterson, was stopped by Sgt. Richard Jarvis in the 700 block of Third Ave. and Officer Chris Cuneo, just arriving at that location, placed Arandi under arrest.
Police said the package, which was delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, was found in a recycling bin next to a home in the 600 block of Third Ave. It had been opened but the contents – a pair of shoes – were still inside, police said.
Police surmise that the suspect ditched the package after realizing he’d been seen in the act of allegedly stealing it. Arandi was charged with theft and destruction of evidence.
A follow-up investigation disclosed that Arandi had an outstanding warrant for $1,256 from Clifton and he was later turned over to Clifton PD on that warrant, police said.
– Ron Leir
