New Jersey
Parents of New Jersey college student killed by stray bullet near Nashville campus can’t comprehend their loss
The New Jersey parents of Jillian Ludwig, a Belmont University freshman who was killed by a stray bullet near the Nashville campus this week, are struggling to process their sudden loss.
“It’s kind of hard to comprehend,” her father, Matt Ludwig, told Good Morning America. “She was thriving so well and doing so well in so many ways, in every way.”
Her mother Jessica Ludwig echoed the sentiment.
“There’s a piece of my heart that was taken from me,” she added. “And I don’t know how to feel that.”
Jillian Ludwig, 18, of Wall Township, N.J., was out for a stroll in Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park Tuesday when she was shot around 3:30 p.m., the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a news release.
She was found about an hour later with a gunshot wound to her head and rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she died early Thursday morning.
Police said Shaquille Taylor was trying to shoot at a vehicle across the street, but hit Jillian instead. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and evidence tampering after a confidential informant, video evidence and his own confession linked him to the deadly gunfire, authorities said. He’s being held on $280,000 bond.
Police have since said they are working with the prosecutor’s office to modify the charges in light of Jillian’s death.
Taylor has been criminally charged multiple times in the past, including in 2021 when he was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. The charges were dismissed earlier this year and he was released after a court-appointed doctors testified that he was incompetent to stand trial.
His most recent run-in with the police came Sept. 21 when officers allegedly found him driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck that had been carjacked by two men wearing ski masks, authorities said in a news release. He was released on $20,000 bond and had a failure-to-appear warrant for skipping his court date earlier this month.
Ludwig’s father told Good Morning America that Taylor should have never been released.
“A repeat criminal who’s deemed to have mental health issues should be dealt with in a facility or in some way that deals with those issues,” he said. “The answer should not be to release him back into the streets.”
New Jersey
NJ will commemorate these anniversaries in 2025. Here are some fun facts about our history
1-minute read
New Jersey will mark some significant anniversaries in 2025, as you might expect from one of the original 13 colonies in advance of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
While the anniversaries listed below are centuries old, there are certainly many other days worthy of commemoration in New Jersey in 2025.
The bullet points are a quick and easy way to learn some fun facts about New Jersey’s history.
Enjoy!
- 1775: First Provincial Congress of New Jersey — The First Provincial Congress of New Jersey convened in Trenton in 1775 to establish Colonial governance amid revolutionary unrest. Delegates replaced the royal governor, authorized the issuance of paper currency to support militia efforts and enforced fines on those refusing military service shortly after the American Revolution kicked off. This assembly marked New Jersey’s initial steps toward independence, shaping its role in the war and laying the groundwork for state governance.
- 1825: Queen’s College renamed Rutgers College — Rutgers was one of the nation’s first higher-education institutions. Founded in 1766, when the Colonies were on better terms with England, it was originally named for Great Britain’s queen. Now the state university of New Jersey, the school was given a new name in 1825 to honor Revolutionary War hero and benefactor Col. Henry Rutgers. The colonel donated a college bell and $5,000, saving the institution from financial hardship and setting it on a course to become a major public research university.
- 1875: Prudential Friendly Society founded — In 1875, John Fairfield Dryden founded the Prudential Friendly Society in Newark, pioneering life insurance accessibility for the working class. Dryden’s was the first U.S. company to offer industrial life insurance, which provided small policies with affordable premiums to the working class. The company’s “insurance for the people” philosophy became a cornerstone of its success. Prudential later evolved into a major global financial services provider, but its Newark roots and famed headquarters remain central to its legacy.
- 1875: State constitution amended — Also in 1875, New Jersey amended its 1844 constitution to reflect post-Civil War changes. The change was made to align with the federal 14th and 15th amendments and ensure equal protection and voting rights. The amendment, however, also mandated the establishment of a “thorough and efficient” system of free public schools, cementing the state’s commitment to universal education, yet leaving much up to interpretation. The adjectives nonetheless stuck when the state constitution was rewritten in 1947.
- 1925: Mary Teresa Norton takes office — Mary Teresa Norton in March 1925 became the first woman to represent New Jersey or any state in the Northeast in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representing North Jersey’s 13th District, she was a trailblazer in labor rights, social welfare and women’s issues. Norton, who served until 1951, chaired key committees, including the House Labor Committee. She also played a vital role in shaping the Fair Labor Standards Act. Her historic tenure set a precedent for women’s leadership in American politics.
More about 2025 in New Jersey
NewJerseyDevils.com is the official web site of the New Jersey Devils, a member team of the National Hockey League (“NHL”). NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2024 New Jersey Devils and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.
NewJerseyDevils.com is the official web site of the New Jersey Devils, a member team of the National Hockey League (“NHL”). NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2024 New Jersey Devils and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.
Wisconsin Badgers women's basketball at Indiana Hoosiers Saturday
KenPom predicts how West Virginia will fare in Big 12 play
14th annual Wyoming State Parks 'First Day Hikes' set for January 1, 2025
Scottie Pippen Links Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain in Bitcoin Prediction | – Times of India
Al-Ahly Mortgage Finance aims to grow portfolio to EGP 4bn by 2024-end – Dailynewsegypt
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Race to succeed Rep. Elise Stefanik in upstate New York heats up with new challenger
US expected to announce $1.25bln military aid package for Ukraine
Severe weather could disrupt holiday travel, with tornadoes forecast in the South
Virginia Democrats 'asking the wrong question' amid outrage over DOGE federal workforce cuts, GOP leader says
One in six children live in conflict zones this year: UNICEF
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24924653/236780_Google_AntiTrust_Trial_Custom_Art_CVirginia__0003_1.png "Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps")
Technology1 week agoGoogle’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps
-
News1 week agoNovo Nordisk shares tumble as weight-loss drug trial data disappoints
-
Politics1 week agoIllegal immigrant sexually abused child in the U.S. after being removed from the country five times
-
Entertainment1 week ago'It's a little holiday gift': Inside the Weeknd's free Santa Monica show for his biggest fans
-
Lifestyle1 week agoThink you can't dance? Get up and try these tips in our comic. We dare you!
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25672934/Metaphor_Key_Art_Horizontal.png "There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does")
Technology4 days agoThere’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does
-
Technology1 week agoFox News AI Newsletter: OpenAI responds to Elon Musk's lawsuit
-
News5 days agoFrance’s new premier selects Eric Lombard as finance minister