The pandemonium of between 150 and 300 people behaving in a riotous manner took every Trenton police officer and state trooper working in the city.
Trenton Police SUV speeds up East State Street on Wednesday, July 31, 2013. file
Michael Mancuso/The Times
To purchase this and other photos, visit http://TimesofTrenton.zenfolio.com TRENTON — Ten people were arrested by city police Saturday night when an apparently unauthorized block party devolved into chaos as officers tried to break it up.
The pandemonium of between 150 and 300 people behaving in a riotous manner took every Trenton police officer and state trooper working in the city plus Transit police, a Ewing police unit and State Police reinforcements from Hamilton barracks 15 minutes to bring under control, said Lt. Mark Kieffer, a police spokesman.
Officers were sent to Walnut Avenue and Monmouth Street at 10:15 p.m. Saturday to make an attempt to disperse the gathering. When they were unsuccessful, more officers were called, and the police tried to use loudspeakers on their vehicles to get the people to move off the street.
“And they responded by throwing bricks, bottles and rocks at the police officers,” Kieffer said.
As they were being pelted by the debris, the officers called for backup, bringing in all available cops and the state troopers. Together the law enforcement officers were able to restore order. No police officers were injured during the outbreak.
Yesterday, Mayor Tony Mack’s administration said organizers of the party on Walnut and Monmouth that preceded the disturbance had not obtained a proper permit and had, in fact, improperly modified a copy of a permit that had been issued for a gathering in the area more than two months ago.
“The department did find a permit was issued for Jefferson Vincent Park on June 6, 2013 for a birthday party set for June 27, 2013,” the administration’s press office said in a statement. “This modified permit was not issued or authorized by the department.”
Kieffer said the permit for the park only authorized 20 to 49 people to attend.
An “exhaustive” investigation by the Department of Recreation, Natural Resources, & Culture turned up no permit applications for last weekend in the area of Walnut Avenue and Monmouth Street, no fees paid, and no permits issued, the city said in a news release.
Police described the uprising as a “large-scale disturbance.” This event combined with the wounding of two police officers in a gun battle with a suspect Thursday and the ongoing violence that has caused 30 homicides so far this year seem to indicate rising chaos, said George Dzurkoc, president of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association local.
“It’s very, very unpredictable right now,” Dzurkoc said. “When you’ve got somebody who’s ready to assault police officers with firearms, everyone’s on edge.”
City police yesterday released the names and charges for those arrested during the melee, all of them city residents. Jyra Mincey, 22, was charged with failure to disperse, resisting arrest and outstanding warrants; Kelly McDuffie, 20, was charged with failure to disperse and resisting arrest; Brian Kendrick, 21, was charged with failure to disperse and resisting arrest; Jasmine Tootle, 24, was charged with failure to disperse, resisting arrest and outstanding warrants; Jawara Miller, 34, was charged with failure to disperse; Antwon Sherman, 19, was charged with failure to disperse; Tracey Davis, 46, was charged with obstructing the administration of law and improper behavior; Daquan Square, 27, was charged with failure to disperse; Emmanuel Conway, 39, was charged with obstruction, resisting arrest and failure to disperse; and a 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with improper behavior.
“What’s left of the summer is going to be a very busy period of time,” Dzurkoc said. “Anything can happen at this point.”
Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.
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