Police: Hackensack man stabbed himself and threw intestines at officers

Tuesday, May 29, 2012 Last updated: Tuesday May 29, 2012, 6:10 PM

BY MARLENE NAANES

STAFF WRITER

The Record

HACKENSACK — A man who stabbed himself repeatedly in front of police — and then threw his skin and intestines at them — remains in critical condition Tuesday morning, police said.

Police said they got a call at 10 p.m. Sunday from someone saying Wayne Carter, 43, had a knife and was threatening to hurt himself.

When police officers arrived at the Clay Street home, they kicked in a door to his room, which had been blocked with furniture, said Lt. John Heinemann.

Carter was in the corner of the room with a knife in his hand, and he stood up, he yelled at police while stabbing himself all over his body. Officers noticed that his intestines were protruding from a wound in his abdomen, Heinemann said. Carter allegedly threw some of his skin and intestines at officers as they tried to enter the room, Heinemann said.

The officers ordered him to drop the 12-inch kitchen knife, but he didn’t. Carter is accused of swinging the knife at officers, police said. The officers sprayed two cans of pepper spray at the man without any effect.

The officers retreated and called the Bergen County SWAT Team, which helped subdue Carter so he could be taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.

He underwent emergency surgery, and remained in critical condition Tuesday. Carter had a history of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and has been taken to the hospital for psychiatric reasons in the past, Heinemann said.