A 39-year-old Gloucester City man is facing two counts of attempted murder after police say he poured lighter fluid inside a Ridgeway Street home and onto two people early Thursday morning.
Gloucester City police responded to a residence in the 600 block of Ridgeway Street at about 1 a.m. on Sept. 3 after receiving information about the incident. The two people inside the home were able to get out safely before officers arrived, while the suspect remained inside the residence.
Police established a perimeter around the property and evacuated nearby residents as officers worked to bring the situation under control. The Camden County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team was also called to assist.
The standoff continued for roughly two hours. At approximately 2:36 a.m., the man, identified as Eugene J. Jackson of Gloucester City, exited the residence and was taken into custody.
Jackson was charged with two counts of attempted murder, along with attempted arson, arson-recklessly endangering death or serious bodily injury, two counts of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon, as well as an endangering offense.
He was taken to the Camden County Department of Corrections, where he remained pending a detention hearing.
Authorities have not publicly released details about what led to the incident or the relationship between Jackson and the two people involved.
No further injuries were reported in the available information.
The charges are allegations, and Jackson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
