The Atlantic City Police Department arrested a man after he brandished a knife at an off-duty Atlantic City police officer after the officer stopped him from attacking a woman on the beach, according to the charges.
Lt. James Herbert was off-duty and participating in the Seedorf/McMeekin Memorial 5K Run, when he saw a man on the beach had a woman in a headlock and was pulling her under the Boardwalk at about 10:10 a.m. Sunday, said Matthew Duffy, spokesman for the Atlantic City Police Department.
Herbert immediately intervened and stopped the man, identified as Xontae Glass, according to the report. Herbert then requested another runner call 911.
Several other calls to 911 were received about the incident, Duffy said.
Herbert followed Glass and the woman onto the Boardwalk while waiting for police officers to respond.
It was during this time that Herbert and the suspect got into a physical altercation.
That is where video posted to Facebook under Sherman Undadog Sessoms' page starts.
It shows Glass and Herbert squared off. Herbert gets in a couple of punches and gets Glass on the ground.
At one point the woman — who Glass is heard claiming is his wife — pulls on Herbert.
She is heard screaming, "Get off of him."
Glass then gets behind the woman, putting her between him and Herbert, before reaching into her backpack and coming at the off-duty officer. The man videoing is heard saying, he's got a knife.
That is when Northfield Police Capt. Scott Pollak — who had witnessed the incident — pulled his private firearm and gave verbal commands to Glass to retreat, according to the report.
Glass is seen putting his hands up, but continues to walk while the woman continues yelling.
He also dropped the weapon, according to the report.
"He hurt me," Glass is heard saying repeatedly.
The man videoing at one point tells Glass to "run to the police and tell them he pulled a gun on you."
Xontae Glass and the woman after the confrontation.Glass ultimately ran off the Boardwalk at New York Avenue, and tried to hide, but several witnesses let responding officers know where he was, the report states.
Police already were on their way, having received "multiple calls about a male and female in a domestic dispute and two males in a fight," according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
Glass was taken into custody, but things did not end there, according to the report.
During transportation, Glass became combative leading to an injury sustained by Officer Aaron McKim, Duffy said.
Mayor Marty Small told BreakingAC that he saw the video, and "I wholeheartedly support our Police Department."
"From what I saw, Lt. Herbert did absolutely nothing wrong," he said. "I would like to give kudos to the captain from Northfield for being right there. The situation could have been worse.
"I'm just glad that they used all the training they had at their disposal to prevent the absolute worst," he added.
“This incident highlights that officers are never off-duty and are always serving and protecting,” Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos said. “In this instance, two off-duty police officers from different departments came together without hesitation to de-escalate a volatile situation and protect a person who appeared to be in severe physical danger and distress.
“I would also like to commend the members of the public who called 911 and those who assisted our officers in locating the suspect,” he added.
Glass, 27, is charged with simple assault, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
He was in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a court appearance.
Glass also has three disorderly persons cases pending out of Galloway Township, including simple assaults on May 28 and July 3, court records show. He also has a charge of damaging property from July 8.
All show he failed to appear for court.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at 609-347-5766. Information also may be submitted anonymously to tip411 (847411), beginning the text with ACPD.
