Fair 37°
Police & Fire
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators An illegal and abandoned campfire started a massive wildfire that burned for three days in Ocean County, authorities said. Investigators determined the wildfire was accidentally started by "an unknown person(s) improperly extinguishing a campfire," Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The roughly 189-acre wildfire burned near Fishers Pit, a sand and gravel pit in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. In its final update, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said the wildfire was 100 percent contained a…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
17-Year-Old Swimmer Brings Newark Police To Passaic River: Cops 17-Year-Old Swimmer Brings Newark Police To Passaic River: Cops
17-Year-Old Swimmer Brings Newark Police To Passaic River: Cops A 17-year-old was swimming in the Passaic River on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 10, authorities said. At 7:50 a.m., Newark police responded to Bridge Street and McCarter Highway on a report of the teen in the water, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. Police made contact with the swimmer when he emerged from the water, Fragé said. The swimmer is reportedly uninjured, Fragé said. This incident remains under investigation, Fragé said. 

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Woman Assaulted, Spat On NJ Transit Bus By Man: Newark Police Woman Assaulted, Spat On NJ Transit Bus By Man: Newark Police
Woman Assaulted, Spat On NJ Transit Bus By Man: Newark Police A man spat on a woman and assaulted her on an NJ Transit Bus in Newark on Tuesday, Aug. 27, authorities said. At 1 p.m., the woman and the man engaged in a verbal altercation while on the bus at Broad Street and Branford Place, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé said. The man spit in the woman's face and a physical altercation ensued with the man punching the woman in the face, Fragé said. The woman received medical treatment for her injuries at an area hospital, Fragé said. The suspect is described as 5'8" and 140 lbs. with a medium brown complexion…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Man Shot In Newark: Police Man Shot In Newark: Police
Man Shot In Newark: Police A man was shot in Newark on the early morning of Sunday, Sept. 8, authorities said. At 4:38 a.m., police responded to the 400 block of Washington Street and located the man who had been shot, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he is in stable condition, authorities said. The shooting remains under investigation, authorities said.

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby
Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby Newly-released body-worn camera footage shows two New Jersey police officers saving a choking baby. Hightstown Officers Daniel Abbatemarco and Kenneth Larsen responded to a call of a choking baby girl on March 31. Upon arrival, they were met by a man holding the girl. Larsen arrived on scene and quickly performed the Infant Heimlich Maneuver on the girl, who was breathing again in a matter of seconds. Meanwhile, Abbatemarco and Larsen comforted the man holding her and a woman crying at the scene. "She's breathing, she's clear," the officers say. "Let's let out a cry sweetheart!" …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Irvington Man: Police Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Irvington Man: Police
Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Irvington Man: Police A 34-year-old barricaded Irvington man was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 5 after a standoff that lasted nearly 24 hours, authorities said. At 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, Irvington police responded to the 300 block of Nesbit Terrace on a report of an armed person and encountered Karim Brunson, who proceeded to barricade himself in the home, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, II and Irvington Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers said. Irvington officers secured the area and received assistance from the Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team, Stephen and Bowers said. Trained negotiators …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Man Shot In Downtown Newark: Police Man Shot In Downtown Newark: Police
Man Shot In Downtown Newark: Police A man is recovering after being shot in downtown Newark on the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 5, authorities said. At 4:40 p.m., police responded to the 700 block of Broad Street and found a man who had been shot, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. The man said he observed two other men engaged in a verbal altercation before one of the men brandished a handgun, Fragé said.  The man attempted to flee the scene but ended up sustaining a non-life-threatening gunshot injury, Fragé said.  The man was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition a…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Toddler Killed After Dog Attack In Newark: Prosecutor Toddler Killed After Dog Attack In Newark: Prosecutor
Toddler Killed After Dog Attack In Newark: Prosecutor An 18-month old toddler was killed after being attacked by a dog in Newark on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 3, authorities said. Police responded to the 100 block of 2nd Avenue around 9:30 p.m., and found the girl severely injured, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. She was taken to University Hospital where she was pronounced dead, authorities said. The Essex County Prosecutor Office's Homicide Task Force is investigating, authorities said.

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Woman Charged For Breaking Into Tiger Enclosure At NJ Zoo, Police Say Woman Charged For Breaking Into Tiger Enclosure At NJ Zoo, Police Say
Woman Charged For Breaking Into Tiger Enclosure At NJ Zoo, Police Say A Millville woman was accused of hopping a fence at a Bridgeton zoo and trying to pet a Bengal tiger, authorities said. Zyair Dennis, 24, was charged with one count of defiant trespassing, the Bridgeton Police Department said in a news release on Monday, Aug. 26. She was also cited for two violations of city ordinances about people climbing fences at Cohanzick Zoo. Investigators said Dennis went into the restricted area near the zoo's tiger and bear enclosures on Sunday, Aug. 18. Police began investigating after the city's recreation department received video from other …

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say A boy was airlifted to a hospital after officials say he stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped on a New Jersey beach. Paramedics and EMTs from Sea Bright and Robert Wood Johnson were called to Sandy Hook near Guardian Park, where they found the boy with burns to both feet around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, Gateway National Recreation Area spokeswoman Daphne Yun said. Witnesses said the child had stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped between rocks in the area, Yun said. The child was flown by Hackensack Meridian to a local burn center, and the area wher…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Irvington Man, Garfield Woman Busted for Having Sex In Public: Newark PD Irvington Man, Garfield Woman Busted for Having Sex In Public: Newark PD
Irvington Man, Garfield Woman Busted for Having Sex In Public: Newark PD A 44-year-old Garfield woman and a 39-year-old Irvington man were recently arrested for having sex in public multiple times in Newark, authorities said. Melissa Barrett and Christopher Turner were arrested following multiple acts of lewdness that occurred between February 2024 and August 2024, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. On Sunday, Feb. 24, at 8:30 a.m., two juveniles reported they observed a man and woman having sex in public on the 200 block of Ferry Street, Fragé said. A photo of the couple having sex was provided to police, Fragé said. On Thursday, July 25, at 5:12…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Woman Scammed At Newark Bank By Two Men: Police Woman Scammed At Newark Bank By Two Men: Police
Woman Scammed At Newark Bank By Two Men: Police A woman was scammed by two men out of $385 at a bank in Newark on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 21, authorities said. At 4 p.m., police were called to a Citizens Bank at 255 Lafayette St. where a woman reported that upon exiting the bank, she was approached by two men who requested her financial help to claim their lottery winnings, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. The woman withdrew money from her bank account, and then additional funds were withdrawn following her interaction with the two men, Fragé said.  She was not forcibly removed from the location, F…

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by Sam Barron