CNBNews

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (MARCH 13, 2025) (CNBNEWS)—On Wednesday, March 12, at 9:23 PM, a gunshot was reported at a residence located in the 200 block of Cumberland Street, according to a Gloucester City Police Department press release.

Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement personnel entered the property to search for a potential shooter or victims of the reported incident. Police reported there was no one inside the residence. Investigators were also looking for bullet casings, but none were found. The investigation is currently ongoing.

The Detective Bureau is continuing its search. Individuals with information about this incident are encouraged to call 856-456-7787.

In recent years, Gloucester City has experienced several shootings that would have been unthinkable in the past. Moreover, it was also unheard of in this town for someone to plant a bomb in front of a Broadway commercial property.

Some residents attribute the unusual violence in the city to the significant number of rental properties. An article published by CNBNews in 2022 indicated that the number of rental properties increased from 1,946 in 2010 to 2,987 in 2022—an increase of 1,041 rentals. When comparing the number of rentals to the city's population of 4,663, it is evident that rental properties outnumber homeowners by 64 percent.

On January 12, 2025, two men fired seven rounds in the 600-unit block of Ridgeway Street. Fortunately, no one was injured. One suspect was located in a Philadelphia prison by Gloucester City detectives and charged with multiple weapon offenses. The startling incident was captured by a nearby residence's ring camera. Nadir J. Thomas, a 23-year-old from Pennsauken, NJ, has been taken into custody and is currently held at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF) in Philadelphia, PA. The second suspect has not yet been arrested.

On July 10, 2017, a 19-year-old Camden City man was arrested for shooting 19 rounds at an individual sitting on his front step in the 300 unit block of Essex Street. Eight of those bullets hit their mark.

Dwayne Vandergrift, 40, of the 700-unit block of Powell Street, pleaded guilty in Camden City federal court before U.S. District Judge Karen Williams to an information charging him with one count of malicious use of explosive materials. He was sentenced in Federal Court to five years in prison on August 10, 2022.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 28, 2020, Vandergrift deployed a homemade explosive device at a Gloucester City fitness center. The bomb damaged the gym’s door and entryway.

The gym had not yet opened for the day, and no one was inside. Law enforcement officers later searched Vandergrift’s home and located additional materials for building explosive devices and firearms. 

RELATED:

GCPD Charge Man Involved in Random Gunfire; Accomplice Still at Large (video)

Gloucester City Bomb Maker Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

WHY WAS THE PUBLIC LEFT IN THE DARK? - CNBNews