New Jersey
“We were all scared,” says child who ran as ICE operation unfolded near New Jersey school bus stop
A 10-year-old boy recounted fleeing Thursday morning as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation began near his school bus stop in Lindenwold, New Jersey, saying, “We all were scared.”
Dylan, who is a U.S. citizen, told CBS News it started as a normal day — until he heard his classmates suddenly start shouting “ICE.”
“Out of nowhere, people just start running, saying that ICE is over there, and everybody was running,” Dylan said.
He told CBS News that agents started following him as he ran home. In a home security video, Dylan is seen frantically banging on the door, pleading for his mom to let him in. He said he was afraid ICE was trying get inside his home.
Doorbell video from an apartment complex shows children running through the parking lot on Thursday morning. The Lindenwold School District said fourth- and fifth-graders were waiting at their bus stop when an ICE operation began at the complex.
CBS News has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
“The presence of multiple enforcement vehicles caused significant fear and confusion, and several students ran from the bus stop,” the district told families in a social media post Thursday morning. “Our bus driver acted quickly and responsibly, circling back multiple times to ensure as many children as possible were safely transported to school.”
“ICE Agents are NOT at the Lindenwold School District,” the district added.
Community members in New Jersey gathered Friday afternoon to protest ICE. New Jersey Rep. Donald Norcross demanded more transparency, saying, “DHS has to come forward, be transparent. If you’re doing ‘the right thing,’ then there should be no problem.”
Dylan, like many others at the school, said the incident is hard to talk about “because I feel like they’re just going to come out of nowhere and take my parents.”
Maria, a U.S. citizen whose children attend the local school, has lived in the area for more than a decade. She told CBS News the incident follows increased ICE activity in the neighborhood.
“There’s a lot of kids right now, they’re traumatized, they don’t want to go to school,” Maria said.
The school district said it’s providing counseling to any students who need it.
A Newark man has been arrested and charged with murder after police said he opened fire in a New Jersey Chick-fil-A, killing a man and leaving six other people hurt.
Jaheed Fields was busted nearly three weeks after the shooting in the Union Township fast food shop, county prosecutor William Daniel announced Friday.
Fields, 20, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder, as well as unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
“The brazen nature of this incident, occurring in a crowded restaurant where people should feel safe, was an affront to our citizens and the security they deserve,” Daniel said.
“This arrest is a testament to the meticulous work and seamless coordination between all of the law enforcement agencies involved, and a reminder that Union County will never tolerate acts of lawlessness that threaten our residents.”
Officials did not reveal a motive for the shooting.
Fields allegedly fired several rounds inside the Chick-fil-A around 9 p.m. on April 11, with witnesses describing the scene as a “warzone.”
Malek Shepherd, 23, of New York City, was killed at the scene, police said.
Six other victims were taken to area hospitals and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses at the time said a group of masked men charged into the shop and fired multiple shots after forcing their way behind the counter.
It’s unclear if additional arrests were expected.
UNION, New Jersey (WABC) — A 20-year-old man is charged with the deadly mass shooting that caused chaos at a Chick-fil-A in New Jersey.
Jaheed Fields of Newark is facing several charges including murder and attempted murder.
On April 11, Fields opened fire inside the Chick-fil-A on Route 22 in Union. A 23-year-old man was killed and six others were hurt. Customers inside the restaurant went scrambling for the exits.
So far, no motive for the shooting has been revealed.
Witnesses say they heard at least seven shots piercing into the crowd.
Longtime customers said they were shaken by the violence.
“That’s what’s terrifying, being a father or a parent, you have to always be vigilant and keep your head on a swivel and make sure that you’re paying attention to your surroundings and try to avoid getting yourself into a situation and unfortunately coming to a Chick-fil-A at dinner time is apparently a situation you may have to avoid now a days,” customer Christopher Devido said.
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NJ workers’ rights activists march and rally in Newark on May Day
Workers’ rights activists march and rally in Newark for May Day on May 1, 2026.
Protests marched through two of the largest cities in New Jersey on May Day.
On a cool, sunny Friday morning, activists gathered at the Abraham Lincoln statue on Springfield Avenue in Newark for a rally, followed by a march to Broad Street.
Later that afternoon, protesters met in front of City Hall in Jersey City and continued their protest by walking down to the Hudson River waterfront before making their way back to City Hall.
The protests are among many on May 1 taking place across New Jersey and nationwide as part of an effort known as May Day Strong to call attention to such issues as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, taxing the wealthy, affordability, and corporate power, while also calling on the public to do “no work, no school, no shopping” if not protesting.
Montclair resident Karen Szczepanski was one of the participants and part of a small group of protesters taking part in a 50-mile, several-day march starting from the Lincoln Statue in Newark and ending in Trenton on May 7. That march is to call on state legislators to pass a bill to make fossil fuel companies pay billions for pollution.
“Part of the May Day celebrations today is to highlight the destruction that the Trump Administration is doing to the environment,” Szczepanski said. “This affects all of our communities. Not just Newark, not Jersey City, it affects all of our communities.”
Longtime Newark activist Larry Hamm led attendees in a chant of “Happy May Day” as he addressed them about how the federal minimum wage in the country have been stagnant for years before embarking on a march in Downtown Newark.
”CEO pay has increased, bosses pay has increased, management pay has increased. It’s time for the workers pay to increase,” Hamm said.
Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
Twitter/X: @ricardokaul
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