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Friday, mar 7
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Public Safety
Schools
South Brunswick Student Brought Knife To School, Causing Lockdown: Police
A 17-year-old was arrested and charged on Tuesday, March 4, after they brought a knife to South Brunswick High School, forcing a lockdown, authorities said. At 2:15 p.m., a South Brunswick High School staff member said two students reported another student had made threatening statements and had a knife, South Brunswick police said. The school was immediately placed on lockdown, police said. Within minutes a dozen South Brunswick officers responded to the school and began a systematic search, police said. Upon speaking with the students, officers recognized the suspect's description, …
Police & Fire
Body Found At Popular NJ Hiking Spot ID'd As Missing Man
The body found at Garrett Mountain Reservation has been identified as a missing man. Martin Mendoza, 20, of Paterson, was found deceased in the park Friday, Feb. 28 around 12:50 p.m., Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic County Sheriff Thomas Adamo said. Mendoza had been missing since Feb. 8, his family said. He was last seen leaving his home around 7:45 that morning and was captured on surveillance on Valley Road in Clifton, throwing away trash after eating at Dunkin, his family said. He was last seen walking out and crossing the street to the corner of Bogey’…
Police & Fire
Trio Including Ex-Track Star Charged In Toms River Drive-By Shooting Involving Kids: Prosecutor
Three men are facing attempted murder charges after authorities say they opened fire on a Toms River home with an adult and two children inside. Lyjhahn Cromartie, 19, of Lakehurst, and Shazir Vallade, 20, of Lakewood, were arrested on Feb. 28, 2025, after investigators identified them as suspects in the Jan. 13, shooting, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced. The arrests follow the earlier capture of Javir Askew-Mayweather, 21, a former track star in Manchester, who was taken into custody in Atlantic City and later released under New Jersey Bail Reform policies, …
News
ICU Nurse Held Hostage, Forced To Restrain Colleague During Hospital Shooting
A heroic ICU nurse who was held at gunpoint, forced to restrain a colleague, and used as a shield during the UPMC York hospital shooting is now struggling to heal from the trauma. A GoFundMe has been launched to support Tosha Trostle, who says the psychological scars run deeper than any physical wound. “I Was Used As A Human Shield” Tosha Trostle was drawing blood when she heard a commotion in the hallway of UPMC York’s ICU. Thinking it was a routine emergency, she stepped out—only to come face-to-face with the gunman holding her coworker, Jess, at gunpoint. “He made Jess zip-tie my …
Police & Fire
Hero Hazlet Officer Rescues Dog From Icy Lake (
Video
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Taffy the dog is lucky Hazlet has Patrolman Doug Centrone on the force. On Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9:50 a.m., officers received a frantic call about a dog, Taffy, stuck in the lake at Veteran's Park, Hazlet Township police said. The lake had a thin sheet of ice and the dog was struggling to make it back to shore, police said. Patrolman Doug Centrone was on duty and sprung into action to help, police said. Centrone is a member of the Maritime Emergency Response Team and knew how to bring Taffy back safely, police said. Centrone put his gear on and carefully navigated across the …
Police & Fire
NJ Cops Accused Of Ignoring Stranded Driver: Here's What They Say Really Happened
The Englewood Police Department is setting the record straight after a viral social media post criticized officers for their handling of a stranded motorist. The post, which the department said it became aware of on Tuesday, Feb. 25, showed a police vehicle parked in front of a disabled car on Englewood Avenue but failed to include key details, the department said in a statement. Officers were on patrol when they came across a disabled vehicle that had run out of fuel, the EPD's post says. A second officer arrived for backup, and the officers decided to move the car to the curb to avoid a t…
Police & Fire
Slain Officer’s Final Wish Revealed As Funeral Plans Announced After Hospital Shooting
West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte will be laid to rest this week after he was killed in the line of duty during a mass shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County on Saturday, Feb, 22. His family, fellow officers, and an outpouring of community support are ensuring his legacy of service and sacrifice is never forgotten. Funeral Service Details Duarte’s funeral will take place on Friday, Feb. 28, at 1:00 p.m. at Living Word Community Church, 2530 Cape Horn Road, Red Lion, PA. Due to high attendance expectations, seating arrangements are as follows: Seating inside the c…
Police & Fire
Teens Wanted In Multi-State Crime Spree, Firing At Troopers Captured By US Marshals
The two Tennessee teens who fired at Pennsylvania State Troopers during a multi-state crime spree have been captured in Hartford, Connecticut, authorities announced. Jeremiah Begley, 17, and Christian Guerrero Jr., 17, were taken into custody on Thursday, Feb. 27, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Hartford Police, and the PSP Fugitive Apprehension Unit, state police said. They are being held in Connecticut while awaiting extradition to Dauphin County, PA. The Crime Spree The chaos began on Feb. 23, 2025, at 12:40 p.m., when a motorist on I-81 in Silver Spring Township, Cumbe…
Police & Fire
Off-Duty Cops Rescue Guests From Burning Jersey Shore Motel
Three off-duty police officers sprang into action early Sunday morning, Feb. 23, pulling guests from a burning motel before firefighters arrived, authorities said. The fire broke out around 3:06 a.m. at a motel on the 200 block of Broadway, according to Point Pleasant Beach Police. The motel was identified in various reports as the Shore Point Motel. The off-duty officers happened to be passing by when they saw smoke and flames coming from the building. Recognizing the danger, they immediately began evacuating guests, moving them to safety before on-duty officers arrived, officials said. P…
News
NJ Man Who Stabbed Salman Rushdie Over Dozen Times Convicted Of Attempted Murder
A New Jersey man who repeatedly stabbed author Salman Rushdie on stage at a New York speaking engagement was convicted of attempted murder. Hadi Matar, 27, of Fairview, was also found guilty of assault in Chautauqua County Court on Friday, Feb. 21, for injuring another attendee following two hours of jury deliberations, Buffalo NBC affiliate WGRZ reports. Matar faces up to 25 years in prison when he's sentenced in April. The attack happened at around 10:45 a.m. on Aug. 12, 2022, as Rushdie was about to begin lecturing at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, located about 70 miles sou…
Police & Fire
Another Man Accused Of Exposing Himself To Young Girls In Ocean County: Prosecutor
The day after authorities announced the arrest of an 18-year-old ski-masked man masturbating in front of young females, officials in the same county announced a similar arrest. Michael Marto, 28, of Tuckerton, exposed his penis to a 10-year-old girl, propositioned two 15-year-old girls, and made sexual comments toward a 17-year-old girl — all in Lakewood, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. Marto's arrest comes one day after that of Massinissa Ladj, who wore a ski mask as he drove around and masturbated in front of females as young as 12 years old in Lakewood, polic…
Police & Fire
Ski-Masked Masturbator Who Lured 4 Females To His Vehicle In Ocean County Arrested: Prosecutor
An 18-year-old man who lured multiple females including a pre-teen to his vehicle, masturbated in front of most of them, and then drove off in multiple Ocean County towns has been arrested. Massinissa Ladj, of Jackson, has been charged with sexual assault, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and four counts of lewdness, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. On Jan. 24, Lakewood police were notified that a male wearing a ski mask and driving a black vehicle motioned to a 16-year-old girl who was walking down East 5th Avenue to approach his car the previ…
Police & Fire
Three Shot, One Critical In Newark Broad Daylight Shooting: Police (
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One person is in critical condition after three people were shot in Newark on the morning of Wednesday, February 19, authorities said. A 10:11 a.m., police responded to the 600 block of South 17th Street and found three people, two women and one man shot, Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda said. The shooting victims were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, Miranda said. The two women are reportedly in stable condition while the man is reportedly in critical condition, Miranda said. The shooting remains under investigation, Miranda said.
Police & Fire
Man Dies By Suicide In New Jersey TJ Maxx Parking Lot: Prosecutor
A man died by suicide via self-inflicted gunshot wound in a TJ Maxx parking lot on the early morning of Saturday, Feb. 15, authorities said. At 1:40 a.m., Franklin Township Police discovered a male deceased in his vehicle in the parking lot of TJ Maxx, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office said. TJ Maxx is located in the Walmart Plaza just off Route 78 at the Clinton Township border. There were no signs of foul play and there remains no threat to public safety, authorities said. Detectives from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating this incident, au…
Politics
Hundreds Of FAA Staffers Cut By Trump Administration Amid String Of Plane Crashes
The Trump administration has fired hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, including safety engineers and technicians, despite four fatal aviation accidents since Inauguration Day—a move some warn could compromise air travel safety. On Friday, Feb. 14, several hundred FAA workers received termination notices, as reported by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union. “We are troubled and disappointed by the administration’s decision to fire FAA probationary employees PASS represents without cause nor based on performance or conduct,” said PASS natio…
Police & Fire
Monmouth County Man Aimed Laser At Aircraft He Thought Was Drone: DOJ
A 27-year-old Colts Neck man faces federal charges for trying to take action amidst all the drones that were flying over New Jersey. On Thursday, Dec. 12, James Pedone pointed the beam of a laser on three separate occasions, striking an aircraft operating by federal law enforcement, Acting US Attorney Vikas Khanna said. Pedone believed the aircraft was a drone, Khanna said. He made his first court appearance in federal court in Newark on Thursday, Feb. 13, Khanna said. Knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special jurisdiction of the United States carries…
Police & Fire
Mayor Has Special Message For Killer Who Shot 9-Year-Old Boy In Newark
Authorities are searching for the person responsible for the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old boy outside his home in Newark on Friday, Jan. 31. The boy was exiting a vehicle with his father and sister at approximately 5:27 p.m. when he was shot on Osborne Terrace, a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said. A 36-year-old man, who does not appear to be related to the child, was also shot during the incident. Details of his injuries were not immediately available. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka expressed outrage over the tragedy, calling it “incomprehensible” and…
Police & Fire
'Compulsive' Sex Offender, Inmate Escapes During Transport To Hospital In Newark: State Police
The New Jersey State Police are asking for the public’s help in locating registered sex offender Nicholas Voutsas, who authorities said escaped from custody while being transported to University Hospital in Newark on Thursday, Jan. 30. Voutsas, 25, escaped from a New Jersey Department of Health medical transport van at approximately 9 a.m. while en route to the hospital, State Police said. The New Jersey Human Services Police Department has charged him with escape, authorities said. Voutsas is a Tier 2 sex offender, which is described as a "repetitive, compulsive" offender on the NJ Sex Off…
Police & Fire
Temple Freshman, Gymnast Dies After Fall From Light Post In Philadelphia
A Temple University freshman died after falling from a light pole in Philadelphia while celebrating the Eagles’ victory on Sunday, Jan. 26, school officials said. Tyler Sabapathy, 18, was critically injured over the weekend and later passed away on Monday, Temple University President John Fry said in a statement. “The loss of a promising 18-year-old man like Tyler is both tragic and traumatic. There are no words that can make sense of it, and the entire Temple community mourns his passing,” Fry said. Sabapathy, a Toronto native, was a first-year student in Temple’s College of Public Health…
Police & Fire
Dog Rescued After Falling Into Pond: Montgomery PD
A dog is on the mend after they fell into a pond in Montgomery on Tuesday, Jan. 21, authorities said. At 10:33 a.m., officers, fire and EMS responded to a pond behind Avalon Lakes Court after the dog's owner got out of the backyard and fell into the pond, Montgomery police said. Officer Salvatore Intili donned a personal flotation device with a safety rope held by Sergeant John Colucci and walked out onto the frozen ice, where he was able to grab the dog’s harness and pull the dog from the water, police said.. The dog was taken to a local animal hospital for evaluation and …
Real Estate
New Details, Video Show Workforce Housing, Transit Hub Project In Hackensack
Bergen County officials have released a brand-new video rendering of Bergen Junction, a transformational mixed-use development in Hackensack that aims to provide affordable housing for essential workers, support veterans, and revitalize the NJ TRANSIT Hackensack Bus Transfer (scroll for video). The project — announced by Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, the Board of Commissioners, and the Bergen County Improvement Authority — will replace the former Bergen County probation building and outdated bus terminal with state-of-the-art facilities. Bergen Junction will feature a five…
Police & Fire
Woman Found Dead In Retention Basin: Neptune PD
A woman was found dead, lying in the snow in Neptune on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 20, authorities said. Officers responded to 230 Jumping Brook Rd. at 1:07 p.m. and found a dead woman, wearing only a shirt and shorts, lying in the snow in a retention basin, Neptune Township police said.. The woman's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, police said. The investigation is ongoing and there is no known threat to the public, police said.
Police & Fire
Stranded Fox Spurs Dangerous Rescue Attempts, NJ Officials Plead With Public To Stay Back
Barnegat Bay has become the unlikely scene of a high-stakes drama involving a stranded fox and dangerous rescue attempts, officials warn. At around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, crews from the Seaside Park Station 45 Volunteer Fire Company responded to reports of a fox stranded on a floating jet ski dock in the bay near the channel. What seemed like a straightforward operation quickly turned perilous due to hazardous ice conditions, officials said. "The ice from the bay front broke free and is shifting towards the mainland," rescue officials said. "Additionally, there are str…
Police & Fire
Bizzare YouTube Video Shows Threat Made By Montclair Teacher Placed On Leave: Report
Amir Doctry, who was arrested Monday, Jan. 13 after making threats that caused the Montclair school district to shut down, had been placed on leave for "erratic behavior," according to a report. The Northeast Elementary School teacher, was arrested at his home in Philadelphia, after posting a bizarre YouTube video in which he claimed he was going to be the next Montclair superintendent. In the video description, he wrote: "Joe must die school shooting Montclair school shooting kills Dr. Joe Racsim Racist Joe is dead. He dies tonight." Montclair Police Lt. Terrence Turner told the New York …
News
These 16 Somerset County PDs Wasted $1M On 'Street Cop' Training, Comptroller Says
A new report by New Jersey's Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) reveals that 377 New Jersey police departments and law enforcement agencies collectively spent over $1 million in public funds on training hosted by Street Cop Training, a company previously criticized for teaching discriminatory and likely unconstitutional tactics. The findings, published in a supplemental report by the OSC, follow its December 2023 Police Accountability Project report, which exposed troubling content from Street Cop Training’s 2021 conference. Nearly 1,000 officers, including many from New Jersey, attended …
Real Estate
Workforce Housing, State-Of-The Art NJ Transit Bus Terminal To Transform Downtown Hackensack
Hackensack is poised for a major transformation as plans for the redevelopment of 133 River St., the site of the city’s aging bus terminal and a long-vacant site of the county probation building move forward. Last week, the Hackensack Planning Board reviewed the Bergen County Improvement Authority’s (BCIA) ambitious proposal to bring a state-of-the-art NJ Transit bus terminal and workforce housing to the city’s downtown. The 387,000-square-foot project will include a 15-story residential tower with 168 units designated for veterans, disabled veterans, and essential workers in fields such as …
Police & Fire
Embattled NJ Councilman Used Position To Threaten Liquor Store: Prosecutor
Sergio Rodriguez, a 29-year-old member of the Dover Town Council, was arrested and charged on Thursday, Jan. 2, after he threatened to use his power to shutter a liquor store last year, prosecutors said. On Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, Rodriguez entered a Dover liquor store and told an employee that the store’s liquor license would not be renewed if they continued to sell alcohol to individuals seen drinking in a nearby courtyard, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally said. The business owner spoke to Rodriguez at a later time, and duri…
Police & Fire
SWAT Standoff Shakes Wayne Neighborhood, Barricade Ends After Nearly Five Hours
A SWAT standoff unfolded in a Wayne neighborhood on Thursday, Jan. 2, gripping residents of the Wayne Village apartments as authorities surrounded one particular unit. UPDATE: Semi-Conscious Suspect Found After Hours-Long Barricade, Police Say The situation began around 1 p.m. on Lancaster Court, according to residents, some of whom were unable to access their units during the standoff. Photos from the scene show heavily armed SWAT team members standing outside a unit, shields raised and long guns drawn, as they worked to resolve the incident. The barricade ended peacefully at approximate…
Police & Fire
Charges Filed In Allentown Shooting Prompting Town-Wide Shelter In Place
A 52-year-old New Jersey man has been charged in connection with a shooting that left a woman injured prompting a town-wide shelter-in-place on Tuesday, Dec. 31,2024, authorities said. Daniel Williams, of Allentown, is facing charges of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and multiple weapons offenses, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. The endangering charge stems from a child being present in the home at the time of the shooting, authorities said. The incident occurred at approximately 12:51 p.m., bringing officers from t…
Police & Fire
Shooter In Custody Following Incident That Had Entire NJ Town Under Shelter In Place: Officials
A 52-year-old gunman is in custody after a shooting in New Jersey prompted a shelter-in-place order for the entire town on Tuesday, Dec. 31, officials said. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office identified the suspect as Daniel Williams, who was being sought in connection with a shooting that occurred earlier in the afternoon. Authorities announced Williams' capture shortly after 6 p.m., bringing relief to the community. The shooting unfolded around 2 p.m. at a home on Johnson Drive, according to local police and a statement from Allentown Mayor Thomas Fritts. The victim sustained injurie…
Police & Fire
Faulty Heating System Blamed In PA Carbon Monoxide Leak Killing Actress Dayle Haddon
A faulty flue and exhaust pipe on a gas heating system caused the deadly carbon monoxide leak that claimed the life of actress and model Dayle Haddon and critically injured another person in Solebury Township, authorities revealed Saturday, Dec. 28. Haddon, 76, was found unresponsive in a second-floor bedroom of a residence on the 6900 block of Phillips Mill Road Friday morning. She was pronounced dead at 7:22 a.m. by EMS responders, according to the Bucks County Coroner’s Office. The second victim, identified as 76-year-old Walter J. Blucas of Erie, Pennsylvania, was found unconscious on…
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