Kearny, NJ – At 3 p.m., patrol units responded to a violent robbery at Seabra Foods on Schuyler Avenue. According to staff, when they confronted a suspect who had stolen merchandise, the man produced a black handgun and beat an employee with it. The suspect fled on foot, and a detailed description was obtained. The victim was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a trauma center due to the severity of the facial injury.
Using town-owned cameras, detectives quickly tracked the suspect’s movements before and after the incident. His tattoos were visible in the footage, and Detective Jean recognized him as Edsel M. Brown, 35, of Kearny. Camera footage confirmed that Mr. Brown fled into No Label Fitness, a local gym he owns, which is not currently open for business. Firearms records confirmed that a 9mm handgun was registered to him. Within 30 minutes of the crime, detectives had established a perimeter around the gym, which had its lights off and all doors and windows obscured from the inside.
A few hours later, Kearny detectives and the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team executed arrest and search warrants at the suspect’s gym. As Mr. Brown resisted arrest and assaulted officers while attempting to flee on foot, officers gave chase and ultimately apprehended him. The Hudson County drone was deployed to assist in locating the suspect. During the pursuit, Mr. Brown discarded additional items of evidentiary value, which were later recovered. Inside the gym, detectives recovered several more pieces of evidence linking him to the crime.
Edsel M. Brown was charged with first degree robbery and various other criminal offenses, after which he was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
Chief Scott Macfie stated, “Violence will not be tolerated in our community. We remain committed to using every available resource to capture dangerous offenders. Our continued investment in modern technology from surveillance cameras to drone capabilities has once again proven essential in resolving critical incidents.”
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
###
The Kearny Police Department encourages residents to report suspicious activity through its new Tips Management Portal, accessible at https://kearnynjpd.org/submit-a-tip/. All submissions can remain confidential.
