WILDWOOD, NJ – On Tuesday, September 14th, 2021, at approximately 11:24 A.M. the Wildwood Police Department received multiple 911 emergency telephone calls reporting an active physical altercation in progress. The incident location was identified as the Two Hundred East Block of Burk Avenue, located in the City of Wildwood. Additional information was ultimately provided reporting that one of the individuals involved in the altercation was armed with a handgun.
Upon the arrival of uniform police officers, several individuals were observed in the immediate vicinity of the reported incident and detained for investigative purposes. During the ensuing inquiry, a patrol officer encountered one of the individuals who was subsequently identified as 44-year-old Richard Grillo, currently residing in the City of Wildwood. As a result of the field contact, Grillo was identified by multiple eyewitnesses, as the individual who was in possession of the firearm during the altercation. Additionally located during the on-scene contact was a Daisy Model 189 BB Pistol.
During the developing investigation by the Wildwood Police Department Detective Division, and as a direct result of securing statements from eyewitnesses, information was gleaned that a second firearm was utilized in connection to the event. Accordingly, a court-authorized search warrant was executed at the residence belonging to Grillo. As a result of the search of the premise, a 9mm Taurus semi-automatic pistol, with ammunition, was ultimately recovered and secured as evidence.
As a result of this investigation, Richard Grillo was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, (a crime of the 2nd degree, two counts), possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (a crime of the 2rd degree, two counts), possession of a control dangerous substance, specifically Xanax (a crime of the third degree) and theft of certain property namely a controlled dangerous substance identified as 120 tablets of prescribed medication (a crime of the third degree).