Teens Jump Couple At Garden State Plaza AMC Lot, Hold Knife To Woman’s Face, Police Say

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

Three North Jersey teens were arrested after police say a woman had a knife pressed against her face and threatened outside the AMC movie theater at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus last week.

Police said a male and female victim had just gotten into their vehicle when they were attacked in the parking lot one night last weekend, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. The female victim told officers she recognized one of the assailants because she had been communicating with him in a casual relationship, Guidetti said.

During the assault, police said Joshua Ortiz, 19, of Allendale, pulled out a large knife and threatened to kill both victims, adding that the suspect pressed the knife against the left side of the female victim’s face while making the threats, the chief said.

With help from Garden State Plaza security, Detective Josh Capizzi identified the three suspects, police said. Dennis Morales Jr., 20, of Fair Lawn, was arrested soon after the incident by Paterson police, Guidetti said.

On Thursday, Nov. 21 at 5:30 a.m., Paramus detectives and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ortiz in Paterson. Police said Kevin Parella, 18, of Paterson, was also taken into custody there.

Parella was charged with aggravated assault; Ortiz was charged with terroristic threats, simple assault, and weapons offenses; and Morales was charged with criminal restraint and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

Guidetti thanked the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Squad, and Westfield Garden State Plaza Security for their assistance.