the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Clark NJ, A Union County female ShopRite employee was stabbed multiple times by another female employee in the Deli Department of the supermarket on Sunday, January 2nd.
According to Clark Police at around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, Clark Police arrived at the ShopRite store at 76 Central Avenue and employee, Melissa Prince, 57, of Edison, was immediately taken into custody.
The victim was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where she is being treated for her wounds. She is currently in critical but stable condition, according to the police report.
According to several employees who spoke to RLS Media, the altercation took place between two female deli employees who had a years-long verbal dispute.
ShopRite spokesperson Maureen Gillespie said store staff and an off-duty state trooper rushed to help. “Sadly, we can confirm that an associate was assaulted by another associate during an incident that occurred at the store on Sunday,” Gillespie said in a statement.
“Our staff and an off-duty state trooper in the store reacted quickly by intervening and contacting police, who responded within minutes,” the spokesperson said. “The injured associate is being treated at the hospital. We are still learning more about yesterday’s incident and cooperating fully with law enforcement on their investigation. We thank our fast-acting associates for intervening and helping secure the area.”
Police report no customers were injured during the melee.
Prince was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
Prince is currently at a psychiatric facility before she will be taken to the Union County Jail.
The incident is still under investigation by the Clark Police Detective Bureau. Any witnesses or anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Daniel Joy at 732-388-3434.