TOMS RIVER, NJ – An Ocean County resident faces multiple charges after a state grand jury indictment linked him to an attack at an anti-racism concert in Asbury Park earlier this year.
Nicholas G. Mucci, 28, from Toms River, has been charged with a slew of crimes including aggravated arson, possession of a destructive device, unlawful weapon possession, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and possession of an assault firearm.
The event took place on January 27, 2023, at Trinity Episcopal Parish. The concert was an initiative by the “One People’s Project”, promoting anti-racism and social justice. Mucci, reportedly masked in a black face covering, is said to have disrupted the conclusion of the concert by obstructing attendees from leaving, tossing smoke bombs into the crowd, and allegedly yelling, “White lives matter, too.” Surveillance footage caught a dark SUV, resembling Mucci’s, swiftly departing the scene post-incident.
A subsequent episode around 10 p.m. involved the same vehicle reentering the church’s parking lot, where Mucci purportedly tried to pepper spray the few attendees still present, repeating his earlier exclamations before fleeing again.
The investigation, steered by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness alongside the DCJ, implicated Mucci, notably using license plate readers and cell phone records. Evidence disclosed that the smoke bombs had a direct link to a purchase made by Mucci in Morrisville, PA.
Moreover, a search of Mucci’s residence uncovered an assault rifle, substantial ammunition, and white nationalist paraphernalia. His car was found to contain the bear spray purportedly used during the attack. Mucci also allegedly detailed the attack in a self-shot video, even mentioning how the bear spray affected his own eyes.
First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay V. Ruotolo emphasized the commitment of the state to protect the rights of all New Jersey residents against threats and violence. Meanwhile, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice, J. Stephen Ferketic, underscored the potential grave harm Mucci’s actions might have caused.
Following his arrest in March, Mucci is currently being detained at the Monmouth County Jail, deemed a risk to the community.