Gunfire Sparks 8-Hour Standoff at Fanwood Home, Prosecutor Says

A 49-year-old Fanwood man opened fire on police, sparking a nearly eight-hour standoff with authorities at a Locust Avenue home early Saturday morning, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said.

John Antonucci is expected to face multiple weapons offenses, but wasn't formally charged as of Saturday morning, the prosecutor's office said.

No one was seriously injured and no one else was inside the home during the standoff, the prosecutor's office said.

According to the prosecutor's office, Fanwood police responded to a Locust Avenue home for a report of shots being fired shortly after 11 p.m. Friday. When officers arrived, Antonucci was seen through a window brandishing a weapon and was yelling at police, the prosecutor's office said.

Antonucci then fired shots from a rifle at officers, who returned fire just before midnight, the prosecutor's office said. Service on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line was suspended for seven hours during the standoff after Antonucci allegedly fired shots in the direction of the train tracks, according to NJ.com.

Authorities negotiated with Antonucci through the night before he was taken into custody at about 7 a.m. Saturday, the prosecutor's office said.

Authorities recovered more than 12 firearms in the home, the prosecutor's office said.

In addition to Fanwood Police, the Union County SWAT team, Union County Prosecutor's Office, Union County Police Department, Union County Office of Emergency Management, NJ Transit Police and the Scotch Plains and Westfield police departments responded to the scene.