OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBS) – A 15-year-old boy was stabbed Saturday night on a boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, police said Sunday.
According to Sergeant Dan Lancaster with the Ocean City Police Department, a fight broke out in the 1000 block of the Boardwalk just before 9:15 p.m. on May 25. Police say during the fight, a teenage boy was stabbed by an “unidentified” male suspect.
The boy was treated by paramedics at the scene and then transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City. Police said the 15-year-old’s injuries are not life-threatening.
“In recent years, and like other coastal towns, Ocean City experienced a number of issues early over Memorial Day weekend when large numbers of teenagers gathered on the Boardwalk, including fights, shoplifting and disorderly conduct,” Ocean City Mayor Jay A. Gillian said in a statement. “We understand the impact this behavior has on all residents, visitors and business owners, and we want to assure everyone that Ocean City will not tolerate this type of behavior.”
Lancaster said Monday that the incident remains under investigation and that no one has yet been detained in connection with the stabbing, but Gillian said Sunday that officers made “multiple arrests” following the disturbance and that “order was quickly restored on the Boardwalk once the teens involved in the incident were removed.”
Gillian ended her statement with a clear warning to parents and teens: “If you don’t want to behave, don’t come.”
Lancaster said there were no major incidents on the boardwalk Sunday night.
Following Saturday night’s incident, videos of fights involving groups of young people and crowds panicking and fleeing the promenade began circulating online.
One mother was waiting for her daughter and her daughter’s friend when the chaos erupted.
“All the kids started running and literally trampled on older adults and kids. It didn’t matter, they just kept running through everybody,” she told CBS News Philadelphia.
Trey Gibson said he was two blocks away when he saw people take off running.
“I heard screaming and running,” Gibson said. “It was just chaos and, in my opinion, pretty scary.”
In Ocean City, a curfew is in place from 11pm to 6am for anyone under the age of 18 who is not accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the OCPD Criminal Division at (609) 525-9129.
