New Jersey
Chaos at Maple Shade carnival forces early shutdown, cancels final night
MAPLE SHADE, N.J. (WPVI) — A community carnival meant to raise money for a local youth football program shut down early Friday night after large crowds of teens caused disturbances and forced the cancellation of the event’s final and typically biggest night, police said.
The carnival, which benefits the Maple Shade Tigers youth football program, was scheduled to continue Saturday, but organizers called it off following the incident.
Police say several teens are now facing charges.
Witnesses described crowds leaving the area under police supervision.
“Just herds of kids walking out. Cops escorting them out,” said Cody Quick, a Maple Shade football parent.
Neighbors and carnival-goers said groups of teens were seen sprinting down nearby streets and fighting as the scene unfolded on Friday night.
Parents can be fined or charged for their kids’ bad behavior in a South Jersey town
Maple Shade police said officers were met with hostility as they worked to disperse the crowd.
“They were cursing at police officers. They were clearly trying to provoke physical confrontations with cops,” said Lt. Daniel O’Brien of the Maple Shade Police Department.
Police are reviewing videos posted to social media as part of their investigation.
Authorities say the footage appears to show teens fighting and officers attempting to break up crowds.
The event was shut down early Friday, and the cancellation of Saturday night resulted in significant financial losses for the youth football program.
“As a nonprofit, everything always goes back into the program…new equipment, uniforms, helmets,” said Thomas Oshinsky, president of the Maple Shade Tigers.
The incident comes after years of similar issues involving teens at community events and down the shore.
In January, then-Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation allowing police to fine parents of juveniles involved in certain disturbances.
In the most serious cases, parents could face jail time. Maple Shade police say they are exploring that option, but note the process will take time as investigators review video, identify suspects and locate their guardians.
“If your kid is leaving the house with a face mask to go to a carnival, I think that should be a sign that they might be getting themselves into trouble,” O’Brien said.
Police said following a similar incident at the carnival last year, the department increased police coverage and added surveillance cameras and a drone to monitor the event.
Officials added that initial reports of weapons at Friday’s incident were unfounded, and no serious injuries were reported.
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Police fired tear gas and used horses to push back protesters outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark, after nights of demonstrations over conditions inside. New Jersey’s governor put state police in charge and set up protected protest zones.
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In New Jersey, Mercer County officials have enacted new policies limiting the ability of federal immigration agents to access and use county property to conduct immigration enforcement operations.
Mercer County Executive Dan Benson issued an executive order and the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution Friday that bans U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol from using any nonpublic area on county property to enforce immigration law, unless they have obtained a judicial warrant or judicial order.
“From Minneapolis to Delaney Hall, ICE has repeatedly shown a total disregard for the law and for the constitutional rights of citizens and non-citizens alike,” Benson said in a statement. “We respect the Federal Government’s authority to enforce immigration law, but we will not allow them to use County properties to harass our families.”
“With this resolution, we’re sending a clear message that everyone in our community can safely interact with County government, and access County services, without fear,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Terrance Stokes in a statement. “ICE’s actions threaten the fabric of our community, and we will take whatever steps we can, within the bounds of the law, to protect our residents.”
New Jersey and New York City commuters are facing extensive delays in and out of New York Penn Station Friday, with intensifying ripple effects, after an Amtrak work train car on one of the hub’s tracks caught fire.
The FDNY says it was called to the Midtown scene on 31st Street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, around 1:30 a.m. Nearly 100 personnel responded. Five civilians were evaluated at the scene by EMS, officials say.
It’s not clear what sparked the fire involving Amtrak’s contractor maintenance vehicles in one of the Hudson River Tunnels. It was knocked down well before 6 a.m., but service on New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and more was expected to see heavy impacts well into the morning rush, with Hudson River trains operating at reduced capacity. Amtrak said it didn’t expect to lift its suspension until at least noon.
Travel Advisory: Due to unforeseen track and signal maintenance resulting from a now extinguished fire in the New York area, all services traveling south of New York (NYP) are temporarily suspended. This suspension is anticipated to be in place until noon at a minimum. Services…
— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) May 29, 2026
New Jersey Transit and LIRR also announced delays and cancellations. Cross-honoring and diversion programs were in effect as the situation developed. Complete LIRR service at NY Penn had resumed by around 7 a.m., Friday said, though equipment issues were causing cancellations. Get the latest transit information here.
Video from outside Penn Station showed smoke billowing in the pre-dawn hours, as emergency personnel stood by with stretchers awaiting any potential victims.
Amtrak is investigating the cause of the fire.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause,” the agency’s latest announcement said, pledging to provide updates as new information becomes available.
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