Fairfield (NJ) On October 9, 2020, at approximately 6:36 AM, the Fairfield Police Department received a 911 call reporting a man who was bleeding severely outside of the rear of 26 Commerce Road. First responding officers found Bryan Tay (40) of Paterson, N.J. bleeding from his abdomen from what was an apparent knife wound. Tay told officers that he had allegedly been stabbed by a co-worker who was later identified as Alptug Akkus (29) of Paterson, N.J. Tay was apparently reluctant to give any further details to officers. A search of the area for Akkus yielded negative results. Tay was treated at the scene and transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
At approximately 8:51 AM the Fairfield police were contacted by the Montclair police notifying them that Akkus was in Mountainside Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that he allegedly sustained during the earlier incident in Fairfield.
Further investigation by Fairfield detectives, that included video surveillance footage from the parking lot and a statement from Akkus, revealed that Tay and Akkus are both truck drivers for KZY Logistics, located at 26 Commerce Road. Earlier in the week, both were working together in Arizona where the two allegedly had a dispute. This morning, when Akkus came to the company’s parking lot to return his tractor, Tay was allegedly there waiting for him, armed with a wood plank. It is alleged that Tay can be seen waiting behind a car for Akkus to emerge from his truck at which time Tay begins striking him with the wood plank. It is alleged that during this assault, Akkus pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Tay once in self-defense.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted and authorized the following charges against Tay:
(1) count 3rd degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapons
(1) count 3rd degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose
(1) count 4th degree possession of a weapon
Tay was arrested at the hospital, served with his complaints and was released from police custody on his own recognizance pending a hearing in the Superior Court in Newark, N.J. At present, no charges have been filed against Akkus. The incident was investigated by Detective Lieutenant Charles Zampino and Detective Sergeant Jeffrey Didyk.
(It should be noted that the charges against Tay are merely allegations and that he is presumed innocent until he either pleads guilty or is found guilty in a court of law)
Authorized by: Chief Anthony Manna
