SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — A violent Memorial Day weekend in Ocean County left one person dead, three people stabbed, and 70 arrested in Seaside Heights, prompting Mayor Anthony Vaz to lay part of the blame on a social media post by a 14-year-old boy seeking attention on TikTok.
A boy who wasn’t even in Seaside Heights during the multi-day melee.
Dozens of fights and brawls erupted along the boardwalk starting Friday and lasting through the long weekend, overwhelming law enforcement and leaving residents and tourists on edge.
One woman was killed in Toms River after a Seaside Heights bound teen from Lake Hiawatha sped a way from a fatal hit-and-run crash on a shore-bound causeway to the barrier island.
That man was later captured in Seaside Park, according to reports.
Mayor Vaz, speaking Tuesday, said the online post that drew many teens to the area was created by a young athlete who “wasn’t even there.”
According to Vaz, the boy made the post with the intent to gain “a lot of clicks.” The mayor did not identify the teen but said the boy had no prior history of trouble.
“The officials tracked it to a 14-year-old,” Vaz said, referring to the social media invitation. “It wasn’t even his intent to cause violence, he just wanted engagement.”
Vaz’s response to blame a single TikTok post by a 14-year-old boy on an entire four-day weekend of violence and mayhem is quite a stretch.
Despite the chaos, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd declined to comment publicly. Mayor Vaz, meanwhile, offered no concrete plan to prevent similar incidents as the busy summer season approaches.
Violence erupts amid lack of clear response
The extended weekend’s chaos placed a spotlight on the borough’s preparedness heading into peak tourist season. Law enforcement agencies from neighboring towns were called in to support local police as multiple incidents erupted from Saturday through Monday.
Several video clips circulated online showing large crowds clashing, drunken brawls, and plenty of disorderly conduct, all at the hands, allegedly, of the unidentified young teenager.
At least three people were stabbed in separate altercations, according to police radio reports. Authorities have not released names or conditions of the victims. At least one police officer was assaulted, and several boardwalk employees were also assaulted.
Mayor Vaz has not announced any emergency measures or increased security plans for the coming weeks.
