Woman Armed With Knife Attacks NJ Police Chief, Officials Say

The police chief of a New Jersey town is recovering after he was attacked by a woman armed with a knife late Thursday morning, investigators said. 

The ordeal began around 11:15 a.m. when Runnemede Police officers responded to the intersection of the Black Horse Pike and Clements Bridge Road for a report of a woman armed with a knife and yelling. 

A short time later, Runnemede Police Chief Paul Dailey left the police station on North Black Horse Pike when he was attacked by a woman armed with a small pocket knife. Chief Dailey managed to disarm and subdue the woman, later identified as Bridget Morelli, 52, of Runnemede. 

Chief Dailey told NBC10 Morelli’s fingernail cut his cheek during the attack. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a facial laceration and later released. 

Morelli was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon on a police officer, unlawful possession of a weapon and resisting arrest. She was remanded to the Camden County Jail where she awaits a detention hearing. 

Officials told NBC10 Morelli is well-known to the department.