73 arrested in Seaside Heights during Memorial Day weekend mayhem

Over Memorial Day weekend, the Jersey Shore town of Seaside Heights was marred by a spate of violence, leading to the closure of the beloved boardwalk and the arrest of over 70 people, including 21 minors. The chaos unfolded over a 72-hour period, starting early Friday and lasting until Monday morning, despite efforts to prevent such incidents following a similar outbreak of violence during the previous year’s holiday weekend.

According to Seaside Heights Detective Steve Korman, 52 adults and 21 juveniles were arrested during the weekend. Three young men were stabbed near the boardwalk, but they refused to cooperate with investigators, leading to no arrests in connection with the stabbings. Police Chief Thomas Boyd decided to temporarily close the popular two-mile boardwalk as a proactive measure to ensure public safety after the third stabbing occurred just after midnight on Monday.

One of the arrests made was of a 21-year-old man from Beachwood, who was charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, resisting arrest, and obstruction after a fight that prompted a 911 call. Additionally, a pedestrian in Seaside Park was struck by a car and airlifted to a hospital amidst the chaos.

Despite the mayhem, Seaside Heights welcomed an estimated 100,000 visitors over the holiday weekend. Extra police officers were deployed this year to prevent a recurrence of last year’s disturbances. Borough officials had a plan in place to involve outside law enforcement if the crowds, particularly teens and young adults, became unruly.

Last year, similar disturbances occurred in Seaside Heights, including a stabbing and reports of shots being fired on the boardwalk. The boardwalk had to be briefly closed due to what authorities described as “civil unrest.” This year, the town was prepared to handle any unruly behavior and had measures in place to ensure public safety.

In conclusion, the Memorial Day weekend in Seaside Heights was marred by violence and arrests, prompting the closure of the boardwalk and a significant police presence to maintain order. The town is working to address these issues and prevent such incidents from happening in the future.