Police are investigating several incidents connected to the the L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival this year. On Friday evening, police responded to the Brunswick Square Mall on Route 18 South for disturbances in and around the L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival.
Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.) is a nonprofit organization supported by police officers. The group is committed to protecting youth and communities from the proliferation of drugs, drug-related crimes, peer-to-peer/cyber bullying and violence, according to the website.
L.E.A.D. offers the only 10-week, evidence-based, tested and proven effective, K-12 curriculum delivered by law enforcement in the U.S. The carnival at the mall is one of several events held throughout the year by the L.E.A.D. organization throughout the state.
During the initial response, police received a phone call from the SureStay Hotel By Best Western, across from the mall on Route 18 North. The caller said people were running from the mall because they heard gunshots coming from the area of Habit Burger, also on the grounds of the mall. Officers initially found no victims or evidence of a shooting. However, a spent shell casing was located in the parking lot of Habit Burger later in the evening.
Shortly after the Habit Burger incident, a parent approached officers and reported an armed robbery. Three juvenile victims were walking together from Habit Burger when an individual brandished a handgun and demanded their sneakers.
The suspect fled from the area with the victims’ sneakers. He is described as a described as a male, approximately 15 years old, wearing a ski mask.
There were no reported injuries that occurred as a result of the robbery, police said.
According to police, the incident happened in the area of Route 18 near Cindy Way.
Lastly, police received a report of a female victim yelling that she was being kidnapped. The female wasyelling from inside a black pickup truck in the Brunswick Square Mall parking lot.
A check of the area could not locate the suspect vehicle or victim. There were no reports of a missing person or other independent witnesses to the incident.
All incidents remain under investigation, and if anyone has any information, please call the East BrunswickPolice Department’s Tips Line at (732) 4EB-TIPS or email [email protected].