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A Galloway Township man accused of a knife attack on two police officers will remain jailed pending a competency evaluation.
Within seconds of the man's mother telling Officer Erik Tarnow that her son had a knife, the man walked quickly out the door and toward the officer, body camera footage released last week shows.
Tarnow was slashed in the cheek so deeply that he needed plastic surgery, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Officer Hunter Thomas, who came to Tarnow's aid, suffered a head injury and cut to his hand.
"I believe he was in crisis at that point in time," Judge Jeffrey Waldman said during brief hearing Monday.
He then said it would be appropriate to have a competency hearing.
The judge allowed Kiminsky to have a private meeting with defense attorney John Bjorklund to explain the next step before proceeding.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Erika Halayko confirmed that Kiminsky would stay jailed while awaiting his evaluation.
"I just want to double check since this one is particularly disturbing," she said.
State Attorney General Matthew Platkin put out a statement the Tuesday following the attack saying that resources were being "made available to the officers involved, their families and the department to support them as they process (the) events."
He pointed out programs that provide "a safe space for officers to talk about the unique stressors of the job."
The office also mention domestic violence calls, although there was no indication either in the initial information from police nor Monday's brief hearing that the incident had anything to do with domestic violence.
Kiminsky's mother indicated to the officers on scene that her son was suffering a mental health issue.
"Obviously, from the actions that day there was some sort of what may be categorized as a psychotic incident," Bjorklund said.
"Certainly it’s the state’s opinion that the defendant — based on some of his statements and his actions — acted in a premeditated state, in a predatory state, ultimately resulting in the vicious attack on law enforcement," Halayko said.
"I totally disagree with that predatory statement," Bjorklund countered. "Like he was lying in wait for the officers."
He said he plans to put together a mental history as well as a social history for Kiminsky.
"I think it's important to know whether he's a risk to himself let alone others," Bjorklund said.
A risk assessment is part of a competency evaluation, the judge pointed out.
"Let's take one step at a time," Waldman said.
The evaluation may include transferring Kiminsky to the Ann Klein Forensic Center, a secured psychiatric hospital.
April 26 was set as a hold date for a detention hearing, although evaluations often take longer than that to happen.
