WNB

Three injured after gunfight in housing project
Jonathan Casiano | Newark Star Ledger | 9/25/2005

Two Newark police officers patrolling a city housing project early yesterday morning were shot by a 22-year-old man who was high on formaldehyde-soaked marijuana, police said.

Officers Edward Vernotica and Ronald Pohill both were shot in the arm while trying to apprehend Naeem Mitchell, 22, in a Seth Boyden housing project stairwell shortly after midnight. The officers returned fire and struck Mitchell in the hand before convincing him to surrender, police said.

The shooting was the second incident at Seth Boyden in less than two months involving a gunman high on marijuana dipped in embalming fluid, a hallucinogenic combination known as "leek" or "wet," police said.

In August, police shot and killed Ibn Berger, 20, after he shot two people and opened fire on police in the Seth Boyden courtyard. One of the victims later told police he had been smoking leek with Berger immediately prior to the shooting.

Yesterday's shooting came while Vernotica, a 20-year veteran of the force, was conducting a routine patrol of the complex. After seeing Mitchell walk into 105 Center Terrace holding something that looked like a weapon, Vernotica and his partner followed him into the building, police said.

When they reached the second floor, Mitchell fired a single shot at the officers, striking Vernotica in the arm. Pohill, a 15-year veteran, and other officers responded to Vernotica's call for backup. When Pohill reached the second-floor landing, Mitchell fired a second shot, striking Pohill in the arm as well, police said.

The officers returned fire and shot Mitchell in the hand. He surrendered without further incident, police said.

Both officers were taken to University Hospital, where they were treated and released. Mitchell also was treated at University Hospital and charged with five counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault on a police officer and weapons offenses, police said.

Newark Police Director Anthony Ambrose commended the officers yesterday for their courage and restraint.

"Despite the extreme circumstances in which officers were faced with a life or death situation, the officers in the instance were able to peacefully resolve this incident and arrest this dangerous criminal without any further injuries to police, residents or the suspect," Ambrose said.

Similar to mixing marijuana and PCP, drug experts say leek delivers a paralyzing, hallucinogenic high marked by intense paranoia and erratic, or even psychotic, behavior. Smoking leek, an extreme carcinogen, can cause brain damage, lung damage and a permanent dulling of the senses, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

The drug combination has been used for decades, but law enforcement officials and substance abuse counselors say use has surged in recent years, especially among teenagers looking to take their marijuana high to the next level.

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