The police chief of Linden, New Jersey, is "very proud" of his officers' preparedness after they engaged in a shootout and captured the suspect in the New York and New Jersey explosions this weekend.

Ahmad Khan Rahami was taken into custody and hospitalized Monday after the shootout with police in Linden, just hours after authorities issued an alert looking for him, the Union County acting prosecutor said.

Rahami, 28, has been "directly linked" to the devices used in the New York and New Jersey explosions on Saturday, said Bill Sweeney, who heads the FBI ’s New York office.

Linden Police Chief Jonathan Parham said no one expected the manhunt to end in their town on Monday morning.

"We have a phrase that we often joke about, 'If you stay ready, you ain't got to get ready,'" Parham told ABC News ' Amy Robach. "These officers were ready. Very, very proud of that."

Rahami's confrontation with police happened at about 10:30 a.m., when the owner of a Linden bar reported that someone was sleeping in a hallway of his establishment, Linden Mayor Derek Armstead told ABC New York station WABC-TV.

An officer "went to investigate and to wake him up," Armstead said. "He realized it was the suspect, and within moments, the suspect fired on him."

A gunfight in the street ensued and two officers were shot. One was saved by his vest. The other suffered a non-life-threatening wound.