What happened in Seaside Heights? 73 arrested, three stabbed over Memorial Day weekend
The boardwalk reopened later in the day, following the arrests of 52 adults and 21 juveniles from 6 a.m. May 23 to 6 a.m. May 26, said Detective Steve Korman, police spokesman.
One of the arrested adults was charged with possessing a firearm, he said.
Five minutes after the last of three reported stabbings in that time period, Police Chief Thomas Boyd shut down the boardwalk at 12:05 a.m. on May 26, "taking a proactive approach to ensure public safety,'' Korman said.
None of the stabbings were fatal, and none of the victims cooperated in a law-enforcement investigation, he said.
Also during the 72-hour period, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in neighboring Seaside Park and flown by helicopter to a medical facility, Korman said.
The holiday weekend brought approximately 100,000 visitors to the borough, Korman said.
"The last few days have been mayhem in this town,'' said Sarah Frailey, a bartender at EJ's Tap House on the boardwalk.
"It's normally not like this,'' Frailey said. "There's a ton of kids here over Memorial Day weekend, more than the usual in the last few years, a lot of fights on the boardwalk.
"Kids were out of control,'' she said. "It's like the Jersey Shore show.''
After large groups of unruly teens created havoc on the boardwalk on Memorial Day weekends in the recent past, borough officials this year put in place plans to increase police presence and enforce a curfew on minors from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
"There's supposed to be a curfew for kids who are underage, who aren't supposed to be on the boardwalk after 10 p.m.,'' Frailey said. "But I think the last two nights, Friday and Saturday, there was no way they could contain that in a sense, and then they finally had enough after last (Sunday) night and did an evacuation on the whole boardwalk.''
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said police did not shut down any businesses on the boardwalk.
Billhimer said detectives from his office were in Seaside Heights all weekend to assist borough police.
"While I am disappointed by the conduct of some of the people who came to visit Seaside Heights this weekend, the Seaside Heights Police Department and all of the assisting agencies, by and large, did a great job this weekend ensuring the safety of the majority of our visitors and our locals,'' Billhimer said.
Also assisting borough police over the weekend were staff from the Ocean County Sheriff's Office and Brick police, including K9 units from both agencies, Korman said.
Among the numerous calls police responded to were the three stabbings.
The first occurred about 8 p.m. on May 24 on the ocean block of Webster Avenue, Korman said. There, officers found a 21-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to his back, the detective said. The victim was evaluated by Tri-Boro First Aid Squad and flown by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, he said.
About 6:45 p.m. on May 25, officers responded to a report of another stabbing at Sherman Avenue and Ocean Terrace, where they located a 22-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to the hip, Korman said. The victim was evaluated by Tri-Boro First Aid and taken by ambulance to Jersey Shore, he said.
About 12:00 a.m. on May 26, police responded to Kearney Avenue and Ocean Terrace for a report of a third stabbing. There, they found an 18-year-old man with a stab wound to the right thigh, Korman said. He, too, was evaluated by Tri-Boro First Aid and taken by ambulance to Jersey Shore.
Five minutes later, the police chief ordered the boardwalk shut down, Korman said.
All three stabbing victims were "uncooperative and signed off an any further police assistance/investigation,'' Korman said.
About 1 a.m. on May 26, police were called to a fight at Grant Avenue and Ocean Terrace. During the police response, Patrolman James Hans arrested Byron Czaplicki, 21, of Beachwood, and charged him with possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice, Korman said.
Billhimer pledged continued support to Seaside Heights' police chief and Mayor Anthony E. Vaz.
"We will work with Seaside Heights and all of our shore towns to make sure we are continually making improvements in strategic planning for these holiday weekends,'' Billhimer said. "We will not tolerate lawless behavior anywhere here in Ocean County.''
Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seaside Heights boardwalk closed amid Memorial Day weekend mayhem
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Furious mother-daughter duo viciously attacks driver for moving trash cans reserving parking spot: video
Two individuals were arrested in New York City last week after video captured them spewing racial slurs and viciously attacking a female driver over a public parking space. Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, were charged with assault on Monday after attacking a 21-year-old driver outside a home in Ridgewood, Queens, police confirmed to Fox News Digital on Saturday. Social media users on Reddit alleged that the two attackers were a mother-daughter duo who became violent after the victim tried to move a trash can that was placed in the street to block off a public parking spot. The suspects allegedly punched the woman multiple times in the face and body, causing substantial pain, authorities said. Subway Riders Deliver Street Justice To Brute Who Grabbed Screaming Woman On Platform The victim was identified as Jada McPherson, according to the New York Post. Read On The Fox News App While the attack erupted on Monday, neighbors say tensions over the parking spot have been simmering for years. Social media users on a Reddit post titled "The fight over the parking spot finally happened" claimed that the individuals involved routinely used trash cans and traffic cones to illegally hold street parking for hours while they were away. A former resident on the Reddit thread said, "Sometimes those trash cans will be there for three hours reserving the spot." The person who filmed the altercation said in the post, "It's been going on for years. The whole family does it, today someone finally had a breaking point." Convicted Rapist On Parole Charged With Attempted Murder After Brutal Attack Leaves Nyc Mother In Coma Video shows the moments before the brawl, where the 21-year-old victim is seen with her car, trying to clear the parking spot by removing the garbage bin. A man was heard shouting, "Stop touching my stuff!" as he placed the garbage cans back on the curb, according to Fox 5 New York. The victim responded with, "I just got home from work! I don't want to circle the block five times looking for a parking spot because this [expletive] was holding it with a garbage can," the outlet reported. Surveillance Video Shows California Homeless Woman Set On Fire In Horrific Attack Moments later, Starman lunged at the woman and began throwing punches. Dumitru and an unidentified man joined in by hitting the woman and pulling her hair as the victim curled up defensively. A bystander with a cane was also heard yelling as the scuffle escalated. Click To Get The Fox News App Police arrested Dumitru and Starman at the scene, and the victim was treated for her injuries on-site, authorities article source: Furious mother-daughter duo viciously attacks driver for moving trash cans reserving parking spot: video
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Democrat demands Trump ‘come clean' on Epstein files as FBI's Bongino and Patel mull quitting after Bondi blowup
Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said he will urge House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Deputy Director Dan Bongino for questioning on the Jeffrey Epstein files as the two top G-men reportedly prepare to resign. The Trump administration faced a storm of backlash this week after a DOJ memo revealed the late sex offender had no secret client list, contradicting Bondi's February claim that it was 'sitting on my desk.' Bondi also reaffirmed that Epstein's 2019 death was a suicide by strangulation despite conspiracy theories suggesting otherwise. That upset many MAGA Trump supporters who expected major revelations based on earlier official statements. Jen Psaki, the host of The Briefing on MSNBC, asked Raskin on Friday why he thinks Bondi 'is holding back.' '[M]any of these people have gestured at the existence of a client list, so this is a vast public perception now without regard to ideological lines,' Raskin said. 'People believe that the client list is out there. And look, this guy was a real child sex offender, and they ran a child sex ring,' Raskin continued. 'So, we know that MAGA took that ball and ran all the way down the field with it, and they're alleging satanic child sex rings and so on. That has done huge damage to America's political and civic culture.' Raskin also questioned why President Donald Trump hasn't released the list despite demanding transparency, suggesting the president may be implicated, protecting others, or using the information as leverage. He feels it's now best 'for everybody to come clean.' 'I'm gonna be asking Chairman Jordan to call for a hearing where we subpoena the attorney general and Dan Bongino and Kash Patel to come in and tell us everything that we know because this thing is really spinning out of control at this point,' he said. 'And there's one way to put it to rest, which is to come clean, as President Trump promised he would during the campaign.' Bongino took the day off from work on Friday, Axios reports, and a source close to Bongino said "he ain't coming back." However, a White House spokesperson called the resignation rumors 'baseless.' Spokesperson Harrison Fields told The Independent Saturday, 'President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and experienced law and order team dedicated to protecting Americans, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims. This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity. Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all.' The Independent has contacted representatives for Bongino, Patel, and Bondi for comment. Also Friday, CNN's Kaitlan Collins told Anderson Cooper on AC360 that the endgame could boil down to who Trump supports more. 'We have heard that Kash Patel is outright threatening to resign. I think he's sympathetic to Dan Bongino, who is his number two, and they work very closely together. There's just a wall that separates their offices,' she said. Collins added that Trump ally and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer is pushing for Bondi's removal, but said it appears unlikely to happen. 'What it shows, Anderson, is that this is all kind of their own making, because Kash Patel, Dan Bongino, and Pam Bondi were three of the officials who pushed a lot of the information when it came to Jeffrey Epstein,' Collins said. 'And so officials inside the White House are very frustrated because they feel like this news cycle is only getting worse for them. It is not from people that they can easily dismiss or say it's the media or Democrats. It is their own base that is so furious and so angry over how they've handled this. And the question is how they get out of it.' Earlier this week, Trump dismissed renewed interest in Epstein, criticizing a reporter for asking about the DOJ announcing there is no 'client list.' 'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years,' Trump said. 'Are people still talking about this guy? This creep? That is unbelievable.'
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Houston man loses $20K after 'fraud alert' — handing over his bank card to someone posing as Wells Fargo agent
You wouldn't hand over your bank card to a complete stranger on your doorstep — or would you? Imposter scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and it may be easier to fall victim than you might realize. Scott Merkovitch was one such victim who lost $20,000 after he got a call on May 16 from what he thought was his bank. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it 'They told me that there was fraud alerts on my account on a couple of charges that they didn't feel like were mine,' he told Fox 26 Houston in a story published July 1. The caller was also able to tell Merkovitch about valid transactions in his account 'which, again, is what gave me the kind of assurance that I was talking to a real person,' he said. Merkovitch was told a security representative from Wells Fargo would soon show up at his home. Footage captured by Merovitch's football camera and shared with the broadcaster appears to show a woman walking up to his front door. Merovitch says she identified herself and gave him a code that the caller had shared with him. Believing her to be a legitimate employee from Wells Fargo, Merovitch says he gave her his card. She then cut it in half with a pair of scissors, sealed the pieces in an envelope and drove off. An hour and a half later, over $20,000 had been withdrawn from Merovitch's account from ATMs a few miles from home, he says. Merovitch filed a police report, per Fox 26, and a few days after the incident he received a notice from Wells Fargo — this one was legitimate. 'They basically accused me of transferring the money into the accounts and then authorizing the charges,' he said. He thinks blaming him 'is just the easy way out for a gigantic organization.' Wells Fargo told Fox 26 the bank would take another look at Merovitch's case. Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings. The broadcaster reports Merovitch's case is similar to another pair of Wells Fargo customers who fell victim to a similar scheme earlier this year. Imposter scams can involve the transfer of cash and even gold bars, and initial contact with victims comes in many forms, such as messages claiming to be from federal agents or phone calls from seemingly legitimate authority figures. As scams become increasingly elaborate, more Americans are becoming victims of fraud. In 2024, consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud — a 25% increase over 2023 — according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In total, 2.6 million consumers filed fraud reports in 2024, according to the FTC, with 38% of those victims saying they lost money because of it. Imposter scams were the most reported category, followed by online shopping, job, investment and Internet services scams. If you've never heard of the scam Merovitch fell victim to, it's not surprising because 'scammers' tactics are constantly evolving,' Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a news release. So, what can you do about it, especially as scams are changing? Wells Fargo told Fox 26 that it would never ask you to hand over or mail your physical card or PIN to prevent fraud. The FTC adds you should never send money, cryptocurrency or gold in response to an unexpected call or message. Don't believe anyone who urges you to quickly move your money for protection. Never click on links or call phone numbers in unexpected messages — those can lead you directly to scammers. Even if your phone's caller ID shows you're getting a call from the bank, remember that scammers can spoof legitimate phone numbers. Instead, contact the organization yourself — a staffer should be able to verify if the institute needs to contact you. Being defrauded can be financially painful — and you may not have any recourse once the money has disappeared from your account. The same advice holds true today as it always has: never hand over cash (or your credit card, gold bars or anything of value) to a stranger in your doorway. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Money doesn't have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
