1 wounded in police shooting inside Holland Tunnel

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Authorities say it's still not clear what sparked a police-involved shooting inside the Holland Tunnel that left one suspect wounded and two Port Authority police officers shaken up.

The incident Friday night also shut down the tunnel's New Jersey-to-New York lanes, causing a massive traffic jam that lasted several hours.

Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman said the incident began around 6:10 p.m., when police saw 19-year-old Jahaad Sanders of Brooklyn, N.Y. commit a motor vehicle violation after he drove a sport utility vehicle through a tunnel toll booth in Jersey City. But a pursuit ensued when Sanders refused to stop, and witnesses say he then tried to use the vehicle as a weapon while driving inside the tunnel.

Officers soon fired four shots at the vehicle, hitting Sanders once in the right forearm, but his wound was not considered life-threatening.

Sanders and his lone passenger, 24-year-old Lorenzo Dease of Brooklyn, were both taken into custody and were later taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for treatment. Coleman said two Port Authority police officers sustained minor injuries in the incident and were treated at Jersey City Medical Center and later released.

No other injuries were reported, But the tunnel's south tube was shut down for about six hours due to the incident, causing major backups as drivers were diverted to the New Jersey Turnpike and numerous local roadways.

Sanders and Dease were both charged with criminal attempt, aggravated assault, carjacking, eluding, obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest. They also face charges of illegal possession of a weapon — the car — and possessing it for an unlawful purpose.

Bail was set Saturday at $350,000 cash for Sanders, while Dease's was set at $250,000 Both remained in custody, and it was not known if either had retained a lawyer.