Day: July 20, 2021

Middlesex County, Spotswood

Spotswood Man Charged With Aggravated Sexual Assault Of A Teenage Girl

July 20, 2021

SPOTSWOOD, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Michael S. Zarro, Jr. of the Spotswood Police Department announced that a borough man has been charged and arrested for the aggravated sexual assault of a teenage girl.

An investigation by Detective Sergeant Edward Schapley of the Spotswood Police Department and Detective Ivis Coghan of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that, on July 13, 2021, Abdul Louis, 38, of Spotswood approached the teenage girl as she was walking near the railroad tracks off of Summerhill Road where he threatened and sexually assaulted the victim.

On July 20, 2021, Louis was arrested in Trenton by members of the Spotswood Police Department, the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Louis was charged with one count of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree terroristic threats, one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of third-degree hindering apprehension.

Louis is presently in custody pending a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact D/Sgt. Schapley at (732)251-2121 or Detective Coghan of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732)745-3600.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Louis are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

  • Abdul Louis, 38, of Spotswood
Mercer County, Middlesex County, Princeton, South Brunswick

Princeton Woman Killed In South Brunswick Pedestrian Accident On Route 1

July 20, 2021

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Around 12:40 p.m. South Brunswick Police and EMS responded to US Route 1 near Ridge Road for a pedestrian struck. The victim, a woman in her 30’s reportedly from Princeton was rushed to the Trauma Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. She succumbed to her injuries at the hospital a short time later.

The South Brunswick Police Department issued a traffic alert for a partial road closure due to the accident investigation.

The investigation is still active and if anyone has any information they area asked to call South Brunswick Police at (732) 329-4646

No further information is available at this time.

Allentown, Allentown, Hamilton, Hamilton, Mercer County, Monmouth County, Robbinsville, Robbinsville

Smoke From Western Wildfires Picked Up By Jet Stream And Brought To Our Area

Wildfire Smoke has created a haze in the sky turning the sun and moon a reddish color.

July 20, 2021

ROBBINSVILLE – HAMILTON, NJ (MERCER)- ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–The skies were hazy and the sun was a strange color today due to wildfires in the Western United States and Canada that were picked up by air currents and brought to our area.

The National Weather Service Tweeted, “Anyone notice how hazy the skies have looked of late? This is due to smoke from the U.S. wildfires which is getting transported across the country via the jet stream. While most of the smoke is higher in the sky, some of it could make its way closer to the ground.”

The National Weather Service issued a Air Quality Alert today. An Air Quality Action Day for Particulate Matter (PM2.5) has been declared for Tuesday, July 20, 2021 Levels of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) are forecast to rise into the unhealthy for sensitive groups (USG) category due to a plume of smoke, associated with the Canadian wildfires, moving over the region. Sensitive individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and young should limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors.

The good news is that tomorrow cold front will help usher out the smoke but there is potential for strong thunderstorms. The National Weather Service states that Thursday could quite possibly be the best weather day in July.

Sunset from Mercer Corporate Park in Robbinsville, NJ just outside of Allentown. On a clear day you would recognize the Allentown water tower but it was covered in smoky haze this evening.
Usually a special solar filter is used to take photographs of the sun, smoke was thick enough this evening that no filter was needed.
Smoky haze can be seen on I-195 from NJ Turnpike Exit to Route 130
Smoky haze has turned the moon from the normal white appearance to a reddish color.
NWS images

Air Quality Alert

NJZ001-007-008-009-010-012-015-018-019-027-210400-
Sussex-Warren-Morris-Hunterdon-Somerset-Middlesex-Mercer-Camden-
Northwestern Burlington-Southeastern Burlington-
1139 AM EDT Tue Jul 20 2021

...Air quality alert is in effect from 12 PM Tuesday  until 12 AM
Wednesday...

The New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection has issued an air quality action day for the following
counties...

Camden...Hunterdon...Mercer...Middlesex...Morris...Northwestern
Burlington...Somerset...Southeastern Burlington...Sussex...Warren.

An Air Quality Action Day for Particulate Matter (PM2.5) has been
declared for Tuesday, July 20. Levels of Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
are forecast to rise into the unhealthy for sensitive groups (USG)
category due to a plume of smoke, associated with the Canadian
wildfires, moving over the region. Sensitive individuals, including
those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and young should
limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors.

$$
NWS images

Mercer County, Trenton

UPDATE: Victims Identified In Yesterday’s 2 Separate Killings In Trenton

July 20, 2021 — Updated with statement from Police Director Wilson

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–The Mercer County Homicide Task Force is investigating two separate shooting homicides that occurred in Trenton on Monday, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported.

Trenton police responded to the area of 14 Breunig Avenue at approximately 1:45 p.m. on July 19, 2021.  Officers located William Mitchell, 33, of Trenton, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at the Breunig Avenue Park.  He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead a short time later. 

A few hours later, just after 8 p.m., Trenton police were called out to a Shot Spotter activation on Ellsworth Avenue.  Jermel Carter, 38, of Trenton, was found on the side of 57 Ellsworth Avenue unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.

There have been no arrests and both cases are actively being investigated.  Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406.  Information can also be emailed to mchtftips@mercercounty.org.

TPD Interim Director Steve E. Wilson Statement Following Two Separate Shooting Homicides that Occurred in Trenton on July 19, 2021

Each life lost to violent crime is a horrible tragedy to the family and friends of the victims and the community at large. Our community will not tolerate this deadly outbreak and through its police department and local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we will push back against the violence.

I have met with our law enforcement partners and will continue to do so in order to form a joint operational task force specifically designed to proactively target violence and violent offenders. The use of technology, including the Real Time Crime Center and Shot Spotter, is key in our law enforcement efforts. Just recently, we’ve also been able to strengthen our Shooting Response Team thanks to the support of Sheriff Kemler and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri. I will meet with Colonel Callahan and his staff at the N.J. State Police tomorrow, in addition to representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I will also be scheduling a meeting with the FBI. I will use every resource available to combat the crime in this City.

Names of 2021* homicide victims: 

  1. 2/18/2021 Jabree Saunders, 26, from shooting on May 14, 2018
  2. 2/22/2021 Khalil Gibbs, 25, of West Windsor, shooting
  3. 2/25/2021 Lovelle Laramore, 60, of Trenton shooting
  4. 4/15/2021 Kaheem Carter, 22, of Trenton, shooting
  5. 4/20/2021 Shaquan McNeil, 25, of Trenton, shooting
  6. 4/24/2021 Cheryl Jones, 65, of Trenton, shooting
  7. 4/29/2021 Ramire Harvey, 25, of Trenton, shooting
  8. 5/15/2021 David Williams 36, of Trenton, shooting
  9. 5/29/2021 Edgar Geovani Sis-Luis, 34, of Trenton, aggravated manslaughter
  10. 7/05/2021 Dion Ellis, 16, Trenton, Shooting
  11. 7/14/2021 Pablo Herrera Chun, 53, Trenton, Shooting
  12. 7/19/2021 William Mitchell, 33, Trenton, Shooting
  13. 7/19/2021 Jermel Carter, 38, Trenton, Shooting

*Updated to reflect the person who died in 2021 from complications from a shooting on May 14, 2018 as per medical examiner report.

Trenton police responded to the area of 14 Breunig Avenue at approximately 1:45 p.m. on July 19, 2021.  Officers located William Mitchell, 33, of Trenton, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at the Breunig Avenue Park.  He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead a short time later. 

State of NJ

DHS announces new cybersecurity requirements for critical pipeline owners and operators

July 20, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, in response to the ongoing cybersecurity threat to pipeline systems, DHS’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the issuance of a second Security Directive that requires owners and operators of TSA-designated critical pipelines that transport hazardous liquids and natural gas to implement a number of urgently needed protections against cyber intrusions. 

“The lives and livelihoods of the American people depend on our collective ability to protect our Nation’s critical infrastructure from evolving threats,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.  “Through this Security Directive, DHS can better ensure the pipeline sector takes the steps necessary to safeguard their operations from rising cyber threats, and better protect our national and economic security. Public-private partnerships are critical to the security of every community across our country and DHS will continue working closely with our private sector partners to support their operations and increase their cybersecurity resilience.”

The Department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) advised TSA on cybersecurity threats to the pipeline industry, as well as technical countermeasures to prevent those threats, during the development of this second Security Directive.  This Security Directive requires owners and operators of TSA-designated critical pipelines to implement specific mitigation measures to protect against ransomware attacks and other known threats to information technology and operational technology systems, develop and implement a cybersecurity contingency and recovery plan, and conduct a cybersecurity architecture design review.   

This is the second Security Directive that TSA has issued to the pipeline sector this year, building upon an initial Security Directive that TSA issued in May 2021 following the ransomware attack on a major petroleum pipeline.  The May 2021 Security Directive requires critical pipeline owners and operators to (1) report confirmed and potential cybersecurity incidents to CISA; (2) designate a Cybersecurity Coordinator to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; (3) review current practices; and, (4) identify any gaps and related remediation measures to address cyber-related risks and report the results to TSA and CISA within 30 days.

Since 2001, TSA has worked closely with pipeline owners and operators, as well as its partners across the federal government, to enhance the physical security preparedness of U.S. hazardous liquid and natural gas pipeline systems.  TSA works closely with CISA, the nation’s lead agency for protecting critical infrastructure against cybersecurity threats, to execute this mission.

Related MidJersey.news coverage on the Colonial Pipeline incident here:

Colonial Pipeline initiated the restart of pipeline operations today; Several days to return to normal

Colonial Pipeline Works To Restore Service, US FMCSA Issues Emergency Declaration In 18 States To Control Shortages

Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption

Cyber Attack Shuts Down Colonial Pipeline