A Kearny man has been charged with murder after a 45-year-old pedestrian was fatally struck by an arrow Saturday night, triggering an overnight police standoff and fires inside a home that burned through the early hours before the suspect surrendered Sunday, officials said.
The case jolted a residential stretch roughly 10 miles west of New York City and moved quickly from a street-side medical call to a homicide investigation, then to a barricade situation. Prosecutors said investigators identified a suspect soon after officers found the wounded man around 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 20. By Sunday afternoon, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said the person of interest had been arrested and booked on murder, aggravated arson and weapons charges, with additional counts possible as the investigation continues.
Police were first called to Kearny Avenue near Johnston Avenue at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday for a report of an injured man. Officers determined he had been hit by an arrow. The victim, identified by authorities as Pablo Criollo, 45, of Harrison, was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators soon focused on a nearby house on Kearny Avenue. As officers and a regional SWAT team tried to make contact, the man inside refused to come out. “The investigation continued through Sunday afternoon after the fire was extinguished, and the male exited the home armed with knives. He was taken into custody shortly thereafter,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Officials later identified the suspect as Oscar Feijoo, 44, of Kearny. Prosecutors said Feijoo faces counts of murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and aggravated arson; they added that more charges are expected as detectives review evidence and interview witnesses. Authorities said a blaze ignited inside the home at around 5 a.m. Sunday while negotiators and tactical teams were positioned outside, prompting a multi-alarm fire response and evacuations on the block. After fire crews knocked down the flames, Feijoo remained barricaded for hours before emerging shortly before 1 p.m. carrying knives, according to officials. It was not immediately clear whether Feijoo and Criollo knew each other, and investigators have not publicly discussed a motive.
The stretch of Kearny Avenue where Criollo was found is a commercial-residential corridor lined with small businesses and walk-up apartments. On Sunday morning, firefighters doused hotspots as police tape sealed off the area. Hudson County Regional SWAT, Kearny police and multiple fire departments from neighboring towns responded to the scene. The American Red Cross assisted residents displaced by the fire. Surveillance video reviewed by local outlets showed Criollo walking on Kearny Avenue shortly before the attack; a witness said the arrow was visible in his back as neighbors rushed to call 911. Criollo’s relatives said he had been heading home from work when he was struck.
Authorities said the arrow was fired from a weapon at a Kearny Avenue residence tied to the suspect. Officials did not immediately specify the type of bow or whether additional projectiles were recovered. Investigators closed portions of Kearny Avenue through Sunday as crime scene technicians processed the block and the damaged home. University Hospital confirmed Criollo’s transfer from the scene and his death shortly after arrival. Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello credited the county homicide and crime scene units, the regional SWAT team and local police and fire departments for the arrest and fire response. Officials said the shelter-in-place advisory for nearby blocks was lifted after the suspect’s arrest.
Neighbors described a tense night of sirens, loudspeakers and smoke. Several longtime residents said they had rarely seen the man who lived at the address at the center of the standoff. Family members of Criollo gathered near the scene Monday and spoke through tears about the loss. “He was so happy that day,” said his wife, Paula Arnez, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter. Relatives said Criollo opted to walk home Saturday, believing it would be quicker than waiting for a bus, and had planned to buy a table for Christmas decorations with his next paycheck. Video shared by local stations showed SWAT officers converging on the house and later leading a soot-covered man away in handcuffs.
Feijoo was arrested shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, after firefighters extinguished the blaze that had torn through the two-story home where he was barricaded, authorities said. Prosecutors said he emerged armed with knives and surrendered after a brief standoff. As of Tuesday, Dec. 23, he remained in custody pending a first court appearance. Prosecutors said charging documents include murder, aggravated arson and weapons offenses; additional counts could follow once laboratory results and ballistics reports are complete. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said updates on an initial hearing date are expected this week.
By Monday afternoon, police had reopened portions of Kearny Avenue, but fire investigators and utility crews continued work at the damaged property. Charred window frames and a collapsed roof were visible from the street. Neighbors picked through waterlogged belongings and described waking up to smoke and loud knocking from first responders ordering them out. “I grabbed my coat and ran,” said a resident who lives across the street. “We didn’t know what else might go up.” Business owners swept glass from sidewalks while homicide detectives canvassed for security video from storefronts and homes.
Authorities have not released a possible motive, and they have not said publicly whether Criollo and Feijoo had any previous contact. The prosecutor’s office asked anyone with information or video from the area of Kearny Avenue and Johnston Avenue on Saturday evening to contact investigators. Officials said the formal cause and manner of Criollo’s death will be determined by the regional medical examiner. In the coming days, prosecutors are expected to seek a detention hearing in Superior Court in Jersey City and to file additional discovery in the case.
As of late Tuesday, Feijoo remained jailed while investigators continued interviewing witnesses and reviewing video. Prosecutors said they plan to announce the date of his first appearance and any added charges this week.
Author note: Last updated December 23, 2025.