Juvenile charged with attempted murder for stabbing 15-year-old on Ocean City boardwalk

OCEAN CITY, NJ (CBS) – A juvenile suspect accused of stabbing teenager on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, over Memorial Day weekend, is now in custody and charged with attempted murder.

The Cape May County Prosecutors' Office said Wednesday that investigators used witness interviews and surveillance video to help identify the juvenile suspect, who was arrested Tuesday (June 4) in Pleasantville, New Jersey.

The prosecutor's office said that in addition to attempted first-degree murder, the suspect was charged with aggravated assault and weapons violations.

On Sunday, May 26, the Ocean City Police Department said a 15-year-old was stabbed Saturday evening in the 1000 block of the Parkway after a fight broke out between a group of children.

The teen was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, where prosecutors said Wednesday he was treated for lacerations and a stab wound to the abdomen.

Videos of a fight involving a group of young people and the crowd leaves the promenade frantically began circulating online after the incident on Saturday evening. One mother told CBS News Philadelphia “all these kids started running, literally trampling on the elderly, the kids – it didn't matter, they were running through everyone.”

Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian released a statement after the incident, in which he acknowledged that the city had seen more problems with bad behavior from young people over the holiday weekend in recent years .

“I understand the impact this behavior has on all of our residents, guests and business owners, and I want to assure everyone that Ocean City will not tolerate it,” Gillian said.

Gillian said at 11 p.m. curfew and the ban on beach backpacks will remain in effect in the city.

New Jersey State Police Charity Association President Peter Andreyev also said “more needs to be done to empower police to protect our communities” after the stabbings in Ocean City and a weekend An equally chaotic end in Wildwood, where city officials and police declared a state of emergency after being inundated with calls about large groups of young adults and children.

“Violent, drunken and dangerous behavior must have real consequences, both for minors and adults,” Andreyev said. written the.

Following the unrest in Wildwood and Ocean City, Cape May County District Attorney Jeffrey Sutherland reiterated that “bad decisions and bad actions” will result in prosecutions this summer.