JACKSON, NJ – A rabbi who is allegedly being sued by the Township of Jackson, who has been the focus of online scrutiny of late might have been the victim of bias crime, police here said Friday morning.
A rock shattered a window on East Connecticut Concourse Thursday evening, prompting a bias investigation by the police department.
“The Jackson Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in the investigation of an alleged bias incident which took place on Thursday June 24, 2021. At 4:10 pm, Police Officer Kyle Stybe responded to a residence located at 73 East Connecticut Concourse on the report of criminal mischief,” the Jackson Police Department said. “The victim, who is of the Jewish faith, advised the officer that at approximately 3:15 pm, he heard a crashing sound and then went into the study of the house and observed a broken window and a rock on the floor. The victim reported that he felt that this incident was in retaliation to legal actions he is currently involved with concerning the township.”
As per the New Jersey Attorney General’s Guidelines for Bias Incident Investigations and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Bias Incident Investigation policy, this incident was treated and investigated as a bias incident.
Later, police said they closed the bias investigation after a landscaper who was working in the area told police a rock from his lawnmower may have broken the window.
“After follow up investigation completed by detectives as per Attorney General Guidelines, this incident is being closed and will not be labeled as a bias or criminal incident,” the department said. “Detectives determined that the damage was caused by employees of a lawn company doing work at the location and that company will be making repairs.”