New Jersey
New Jersey drones are perplexing the FBI, the Office of Homeland Security, and state police
SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. — The case of the mystery drones over New Jersey is still a big unknown.
State and federal officials say they are no closer to finding out who’s behind them, and that has prompted some people to ask for the military to help out.
All of it has prompted Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden to call on Gov. Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency and issue an executive order banning recreational drone use during nighttime hours.
“The don’t have any information”
If you’re wondering who is behind the drones hovering over homes, reservoirs, and even military bases, you are not alone. New Jersey State Police and the state’s Office of Homeland Security briefed mayors and local elected officials on Wednesday, but had very little to report.
“They don’t have any information,” state Sen. Jon Bramnick said.
Bramnick said state leaders are baffled by the drones, which have been reported all over the Garden State.
Officials say the drones appear to be sophisticated, and the state lacks the resources to track them.
“Apparently, it’s only the Department of Defense that has the sophisticated technology that could find out where these drones are from and where they’re going. And that’s what I said to the state police today — bring in the Department of Defense because they have the technology. Otherwise, we’re spinning wheels,” Bramnick said.
FBI at a loss to explain the drones
The FBI is leading the drone investigation, but appears to be equally as perplexed. Assistant Director of Critical Incident Response Robert Wheeler Jr. testified before Congress on Tuesday.
“We do not attribute that to an individual or a group yet. We’re investigating, but I don’t have an answer for who’s responsible for that,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said he doesn’t think the public is at risk.
“There is nothing that is known that would lead me to say that, but we just don’t know and that’ the concerning part,” Wheeler said.
“They don’t know if there is a threat or not. There was one incident where apparently a state police helicopter had a large drone underneath it while it was flying. And then that drone turned off its lights and took off,” Bramnick said.
Pentagon officials say the drones do not belong to the U.S. Military, and they do not appear to be coming from a foreign adversary.
New Jersey
Isolated snow showers, wind gusts up to 35 mph in N.J. forecast for Sunday
Rain will continue through tonight across New Jersey before a cold front passes through Sunday morning, followed by wind gusts up to 35 mph and the chance of isolated snow showers.
The heaviest rain tonight is expected along the southern portions of the state where 1 and 1.5 inches rainfall totals are possible, according to the National Weather Service.
Most other areas of New Jersey should receive around 1 inch of rain, with the northwest portions of the state picking up 0.5 to 0.75 inches.
Once the rain ends between 6 and 9 a.m. Sunday, conditions should remain cloudy and foggy until a cold front passes through late Sunday morning into early Sunday afternoon.
Temperatures will drop into the upper 30s to low 40s Sunday morning as cold air moves in behind the first cold front.
A secondary cold front will cross New Jersey late Sunday afternoon accompanied by a period of rain and snow showers.
The isolated snow showers are possible mainly from 7 to 11 p.m., the weather service said. Snow accumulations are not expected in New Jersey.
Winds of 15 to 20 mph on Sunday afternoon are expected to increase to 25 to 35 mph by sunset.
Monday’s forecast calls for mainly clear skies with temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s and winds gradually diminishing.
Tuesday will be milder with above-normal temperatures and mainly clear to partly cloudy skies, with a slight chance of some rain showers possible.
Wednesday’s temperatures will remain above normal with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of rain showers as a cold front approaches from the west.
A potential coastal storm could impact New Jersey with snow on Thursday and Friday, though significant uncertainty remains regarding the exact track and timing of the system, the weather service said.
Some forecast models suggest a significant winter storm while others indicate the system will remain offshore.
A colder air mass is forecast to move into New Jersey by late next week and into the following weekend.
Current weather radar
New Jersey
NJ officers surprised with Eagles playoffs tickets for saving boy who fell through ice
Officers in Gloucester County, New Jersey, got a big surprise on Friday morning.
A representative from Dunkin’ gave them free tickets to this weekend’s Eagles playoff game as a huge thank you for their courageous actions last weekend.
It was a tense scene in Woolwich Township when officers used ropes and went into a frozen body of water to save a child who had fallen through the ice.
“As soon as he started screaming that he couldn’t feel his hands, I just went out there and tried to go get him,” Sgt. Joseph Rieger said. “Immediately thought of my own son and what I would have done with my own son- just go out and get him as soon as I could.”
The boy was screaming and was not able to grab onto the rope that the officers had thrown to him.
“I try to get him the rescue rope but he can’t hold it because his hands aren’t working. So I go to grab him out of the awter and we both go into the water. So I was able to stand up and throw him on top of the ice and start breaking my way back,” Rieger explained.
The team was able to get the 13-year-old out of the frozen water with no one getting hurt.
Then, Dunkin’ showed up to the police department for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and praised their actions by giving them tickets to Sunday’s Eagles playoff game against the 49ers.
“This is my job. It was what I signed up to do so getting this kind of attention, I’m not used to it. I’m very appreciative and very excited,” Rieger said.
The officers said that if there’s anything to take away from this story, it’s to stay off of the ice.
Thankfully, the boy they saved is doing just fine and stopped by the police department earlier this week to thank them.
“It was awesome. It was nice to see that he was safe. He learned his lesson. He was very appreciative,” Rieger said.
New Jersey
Police investigate fatal stabbing in Mercer County
EWING TWP., N.J. (WPVI) — Police are searching for a suspect who fatally stabbed a man in Mercer County, New Jersey.
It happened around 5:20 p.m. Thursday on the unit block of New Hillcrest Avenue in Ewing Township.
When police arrived, they found a 40-year-old man lying in the street with several stab wounds to the torso.
He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he later died.
The victim has been identified as Jimmy Chase from Philadelphia.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Anyone who has any information on this case is asked to call Mercer County detectives at 609-989-6406.
You can also submit an anonymous tip online at MercerCountyProsecutor.com.
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