NJ man assaults 2 women held hostage on New Year’s Eve, police say

🔴 Two women held hostage in Atlantic City

🔴 One woman managed to escape

🔴 Police said the victims knew their attacker

ATLANTIC CITY — Two women closed out 2023 by nearly losing their lives in a harrowing hostage situation, according to police.

The victims were held and beaten at a home along the first block of North Georgia Avenue on Sunday night, the Atlantic City police said.

Authorities said that Justin Williams, 39, of Atlantic City knew both of his victims.

Williams is accused of threatening to kill both women using a large knife that police later found in the home. Authorities said he also tried to throw one of the women out of a window but failed.

He also beat them and took their belongings, police said. Authorities have not said what was stolen.

Officers arrived at the scene around 9:15 p.m. They found one victim who had somehow escaped but the other woman was still inside with Williams, police said.

The Atlantic City police set up a perimeter around the home and Williams eventually surrendered, authorities said. He was taken to Atlantic County jail.

One of the women was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for unspecified injuries while the other refused treatment, officials said.

Williams is charged with three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of robbery, two counts of terrorist threats, criminal restraint, simple assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and certain person not to possess a weapon.

State records showed that Williams had previous convictions for third-degree aggravated assault and third-degree drug possession for heroin and cocaine.

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