A hatchet-toting Orange man was shot yesterday by police after he became irrational and lunged at an officer trying to calm him down, authorities reported.

Derrick Jones, 23, of Tremont Place was shot once in the stomach after he struck Sgt. Joseph Pilone four times with a foot-long hatchet, according to Police Director Charles Cobbertt.

Both Pilone and Jones were taken to the hospital. After being taken to the hospital, the suspect was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Cobbertt said.

He noted that Jones will be arraigned at a later date, after he gets out of the hospital.

Pilone was treated at University Hospital in Newark for cuts to his forehead and right arm. He received 23 stitches to close a wound "over his left eye," Cobbertt said.

Prior to the incident, the police director noted, authorities had spend nearly 1.5 hours trying to negotiate with Jones, whose mother had called police at 5:10 a.m., saying he "was causing trouble in the house."

When police arrived, both the mother, Clarida Jones, and her son acknowledged that the son was distraught. He had just returned to the Tremont Place residence from East Orange General Hospital's crisis center, and he repeatedly stated that he had no intention of returing to the hospital, Cobbertt said.

Police left the home shortly afterwards, with the understanding that Derrick Jones would control himself and that his mother would alert police if her son began to act up again, he continued.

When police tried to approach Jones, Cobbertt quoted the man as telling them, "I'm going to kill anybody who comes down here."

A standoff lasted until 8 a.m., when Pilone told Jones, "Nobody is here to hurt you. We want to help you," Cobbertt said.

As Pilone started to descend the basement stairs, Jones suddenly leaped at Pilone, "swinging the hatchet," Knocking him backwards, "cutting him over his left eye," inside of his right arm and finally two other times with the back of the hatchet, the police director said.

Officer John Adelizio, while coming to Pilone's aid, "fired one shot, striking Jones in the stomach," according to Cobbertt.

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“Reach Back with One Hand and Pull Someone Else Up With You.”

– Charles C. Cobbertt

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