15-year-old boy stabbed after large fight breaks out on NJ boardwalk over Memorial Day Weekend

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed after a large fight broke out on a New Jersey boardwalk Saturday, according to a news release from Ocean City police.

Officers were called to the boardwalk at 9:12 p.m. Saturday night about a large fight. During the fight, a teenager was stabbed by “an unknown male suspect,” police said in the news release.

The Ocean City Fire Department treated the boy and he was taken to the Atlantic City Regional Medical Center.

Police did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s requests for comment but according to WPVI-TV and News12 New Jersey, the teen is expected to be OK.

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Once Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian got wind of the fights, shoplifting and other issues over the weekend, he said in a statement that the city “will not tolerate it.”

“Ocean City will always be welcoming to all guests, but I want to send a clear message to parents and to teens,” he said. “If you don’t want to behave, don’t come.” 

According to the police department’s website, there are curfews in place for minors. 

Curfews include:

• Oct. 1 to May 15 – 10:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• May 16 to Sept. 30 – 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

According to the department’s website, minors under the age of 17 cannot loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play in public streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds, boardwalks during these times.

“The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any minor accompanied by his parent or parents, guardian or other adult person having the care or custody of such minor,” the website said.

The New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association President Pete Andreyev commented on the chaotic weekend as well.

“Our officers did an outstanding job handling out of control and unsupervised teens all along the Jersey shore,” he said, according to a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “It will be a long summer if we don’t hold parents responsible. We all deserve better.”

Regarding the stabbing of the 15-year-old, the police department’s detective bureau is investigating Saturday’s stabbing and asks that anyone with footage from the scene submit it at www.tinyurl.com/OceanCityMedia. 

Witnesses can also contact the detective bureau at (609) 525-9129.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her at[email protected].