Mob of 500 Invade Gloucester Township; Authorities Investigate Fights Down the Shore
Sunday, June 02, 2024
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews
Veterans Park, 1261 Chews Landing Road, Gloucester Township, NJ photo by Anthony Bellano
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (CNBNEWS)(JUNE 2, 2024)--Last night in Gloucester Township, hundreds of kids and young adults invaded Veterans Park where the annual Gloucester Township Day Event was being held. The Gloucester Township Police stated in a press release that while families were enjoying and awaiting the drone light show, officers working security at the event began to notice an influx of juveniles and young adults being dropped off at the event. Crowds of young people began congregating in large groups in the area of the basketball courts. This crowd of juveniles and young adults was estimated to be approximately 500 people.
Around 8:40 p.m., large groups started fighting and running recklessly through the crowd. Officers quickly responded and made two arrests for disorderly conduct. The crowd remained hostile and disorderly. Due to the volatility of the situation, the Incident Commander requested additional support from Gloucester Township Police Officers and asked for mutual aid from surrounding Camden County police agencies. As a result, the drone light show was started early.
Upon the conclusion of the drone light show, officers immediately dispersed the crowd from the field. Subsequently, many individuals congregated at the Marketplace shopping center at 1200 Chews Landing Road, where numerous altercations erupted among juveniles and young adults. Additional law enforcement support was requested through the Camden County Association of Chiefs of Police mutual aid coordinator. Furthermore, a countywide EMS Task Force was promptly summoned to provide extra EMS resources at the scene. Gloucester Township Police Special Response Team also responded to provide support.
Altercations persisted over the next two hours in the shopping center's parking lot. It was ascertained that the majority of the juvenile groups were not local to Gloucester Township but had been transported there and required transportation. Several of the provocateurs and participants in the altercations were attired in dark clothing, obscured their faces with hooded garments, and donned medical-style face coverings.
Several juveniles also reported being assaulted, and at least two reported minor injuries. Both were treated at the scene and released to a parent or guardian.
While a group of Officers were dispersing a crowd, a 33-year-old man from Camden, NJ rode his bicycle at high speed into a group of officers, striking a Gloucester Township Police Officer in the back, knocking him to the ground. The suspect was immediately arrested for assaulting the officer and was also charged with attempted escape, as he tried to slip out of his handcuffs while being transported to police headquarters for processing. The officer suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene. The name of the suspect was not released.
Another Gloucester Township Police Officer and a Clementon Borough Police Officer also suffered from minor injuries as they attempted to break up one of the many fights that broke out.
A total of 11 people were arrested: two adult males and nine juveniles.
It should be noted that 68 Gloucester Township Police Officers were assigned to or responded to the “Gloucester Township Day” event, and at least 30 mutual aid Police Officers from Camden County and Deptford Township (Gloucester County) responded as per the mutual aid plan. The incident was declared under control at approximately 11:04 PM.
While this incident is still under investigation, Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins stated, “The officers who responded and showed great restraint when dealing with violent and agitating groups. The mutual aid received by the surrounding departments was unprecedented in Gloucester Township. I was proud to serve with all of these officers who put their safety on the line to bring this difficult situation under control. I am thankful that more injuries were not sustained to officers, the families attending the event, and even those involved in this disorderly conduct. The lawless groups of unsupervised juveniles and young people acting with total disregard for others ruined a great family-oriented event that has taken place to raise funds for the Gloucester Township Scholarship Committee for over 40 years. This type of lawlessness and violent riotous behavior will not be tolerated nor define the great community of Gloucester Township.”
The following arrests were made during this incident:
Adults:
Ronald Jones: d.o.b.: 2-22-91 of Camden, NJ Aggravated Assault on LEO (3rd Degree) Escape (3rd Degree) Disorderly Conduct (DP Offense) Remanded to Camden County Jail
Kevin Coleman: d.o.b.: 1-19-06 of 320 W. Branch Ave., Pine Hill, NJ Disorderly Conduct (DP Offense) Released
Juveniles: all charged with Disorderly Conduct (DP Offense) and released to a parent/guardian
Female - age - 15 of Winslow Township, NJ
Male - age 16 - of Cherry Hill, NJ
Female - age 15 - of Pine Hill, NJ
Male - age 16 - of Camden, NJ
Male - age 17 - of Camden, NJ
Male - age 17 - of Gloucester Township, NJ
Male - age 13 - of Winslow Township, NJ
Male - age 16 - of Winslow Township, NJ
Male - age 15 - of Camden, NJ
Male - age 15 - of Laurel Springs, NJ
(The source GTPD media release)
SIMILAR INCIDENTS RECENTLY IN OTHER TOWNS
An incident much like the one in Gloucester Township last night occurred in the City of Gloucester City on Sunday, May 19, at approximately 10 PM.
The Gloucester City police responded to a chaotic situation involving both adults and juveniles at the intersection of Broadway and Ridgeway Street. The GCPD arrested several people involved in the altercation. To help control the situation, additional support from neighboring police departments was requested. According to a witness at the scene, one of the assisting departments was from Monroe Township, which is located 50 minutes away from Gloucester City. However, we have been unable to verify this information. And like Gloucester Township many of the combatants were wearing all black and face masks. We have been unable to confirm that information, too.
On two separate occasions, CNBNews emailed Lt. Jason Flood, the spokesperson for the City Police, for more details. Unfortunately, our questions were left unanswered.
15-YEAR-OLD YOUTH STABBED IN OCEAN CITY
DOWN THE SHORE--According to The Cape May Herald and the Cape May County
Prosecutors Office, Ocean City reported the stabbing of a 15-year-old on Saturday, May 25. Wildwood closed down its boardwalk at around 12:20 a.m. on Monday, May 27, until 6 a.m. that day, after declaring a state of emergency due to civil unrest. Unruly behavior was reported in other Shore towns as well. In a press release issued by Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland, the prosecutor referred to “large groups of teens and young adults on the boardwalk, in Wildwood and Ocean City, resulting in extended and intense police activities.” He said the incidents “could have resulted in much more significant injuries to people and damage to property.”
The Ocean City Police Department issued a statement confirming that a youth was stabbed on Saturday, May 25, at around 9:12 p.m. Police were responding to a report of a large fight in the 1000 block of the boardwalk when they became aware of the stabbing. The victim received immediate treatment on the scene and was then promptly transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for further treatment.
Sutherland said on Tuesday, May 28, that a suspect in the stabbing, who is believed to be a minor, has been identified. According to Sutherland, all the parties appear to be from Atlantic County and know each other. The Police Department is still looking for the public’s assistance in providing information on the incident.
Ocean City provided statistics from the weekend showing a total of eight fights over the four days. Wildwood recorded at least 25 fights over the weekend.
The Cape May County Herald reported that police in Wildwood said at about 12:20 a.m. Monday, May 27, that they had shut down the boardwalk because of what they called “civil unrest.” Police did not elaborate on what type of incidents led to their being described as civil unrest, resulting in a state of emergency.
See Herald article: UPDATE: Stabbing, Fights on Boardwalks Mar Holiday Weekend; New Info Added
A Facebook user responded to a Herald query, saying there were “many fights (on the Wildwood boardwalk) and a few bad beatings, looting of stores and kids stampeding, pushing and running into people. These are firsthand reports from business owners … Kids drinking and smoking pot on the boardwalk and not obeying lawful orders from the police … This morning I already saw the usual suspects on the boardwalk smoking pot and loitering, bragging about how the police can’t make them move.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: CNBNews thanks Ben Vaultier and Philip Butterworth for their help with this article.
ATLANTIC CITY, WILDWOOD MOST DANGEROUS CITIES IN NJ
Earlier this year the website Road Snacks released its list of the ten most dangerous cities in the state of New Jersey for the year 2024.
Surprisingly, they include Atlantic City and Wildwood, followed by Asbury Park, Millville, Bridgeton, Camden City, Woodbury, Absecon, Vineland, and Elizabeth.