Jersey Shore leaders struggling with unsupervised young vacationers
'Unruly, unparented children' sparks Wildwood state of emergency
A state of emergency was declared by the City of Wildwood early Monday morning, then rescinded by police around 6 a.m. after a Memorial Day weekend filled with chaos and some violence.
Police in North Wildwood, New Jersey, are asking for the public's help identifying two men suspected in a boardwalk assault over the weekend.
The two were involved in an incident at 26th Street and the boardwalk on Saturday, according to the North Wildwood Police Department.
Police shared still images taken from surveillance video and described both men as thin White males, one wearing pink shorts and the other wearing purple.
NJ POLICE EYE ABSENT PARENTS AFTER YOUNG MOBS UPEND FAMILY-FRIENDLY VACATION HOT SPOTS
North Wildwood police described the first suspect as a thin White male in pink shorts, as seen in this still image taken from surveillance video. (North Wildwood Police Department)
Anyone with information is asked to call 609-522-2411.
The incident comes as authorities on the Jersey Shore are grappling with underage drinking and badly behaved young visitors while pushing for state leaders to give police and prosecutors more power to fight quality of life crimes.
Over Memorial Day weekend, authorities in the neighboring city of Wildwood declared a state of emergency due to "civil unrest" caused by unsupervised and out-of-control teens.
The second suspect is also described as a thin White male, wearing a black shirt, sunglasses and purple shorts. (North Wildwood Police Department)
A false alarm about an active shooter created a boardwalk stampede in Seaside Heights.
In Ocean City, a reputedly family-friendly beach town where alcohol is not sold, a group of young men and boys were seen pummeling a teen on the boardwalk, and someone stabbed a 15-year-old.
Sunset over the North Wildwood sea wall, aerial view. (iStock)
A group of New Jersey beach town mayors is hoping the state will back away from a recent push to lessen penalties for youthful offenders as they take aim at bad parenting amid an influx of teen mobs wreaking havoc on vacation communities.
Some have already imposed summer-long juvenile curfews and restrictions on vacation rentals without an adult present.
After similar issues in Miami Beach, Gulf Shores and other southern beach cities last year, authorities stepped up enforcement with zero-tolerance policies.
