Latest news with #JeffreyO.Kennerk
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida man indicted after allegedly bringing 'small arsenal' on Amtrak train, law enforcement says
A Florida man allegedly boarded an Amtrak train in New Jersey carrying ammunition, multiple handguns and an AR-15 style rifle, New Jersey authorities said. Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, was indicted on several charges, including aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and causing or risking widespread injury or damage, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office and the Division of Criminal Justice said in a press release on Wednesday. "This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers," New Jersey's Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement. Transit police at Penn Station in Newark, New Jersey, noticed an unattended black-and-white-zebra-pattern bag on Jan. 3, according to officials. A K-9 team cleared the bag for the presence of explosives, then the officers opened it and found inside a case for a Glock handgun, according to a press release, which cites two complaints and an indictment. Inside the case was a handgun with a loaded 18-round magazine, officials said. Also in the bag were an AR-style magazine with rifle rounds and a "plastic bag containing a shirt and two boxes labeled 9 mm bullets; four boxes of .223 caliber bullets." "A zipped secondary compartment in the suitcase contained a pink duffle bag containing a black Zastava Arms AK-47 style rifle with one round loaded in the chamber and multiple loaded magazines," the A.G.'s press release said. After law enforcement found the bag, at about 2:55 p.m., they reviewed camera footage from the station, which appeared to show a man, whom police allege was Kennerk, who was carrying two suitcases, including the one with the zebra pattern. "The subject walked away, allegedly, leaving behind the zebra print suitcase, and went to the Amtrak ticket window," officials said. "It was learned that the subject was boarding an Amtrak train bound for Virginia and the next stop would be the Trenton Transit Center." Two officers boarded that train as it arrived in Trenton, officials said. When they approached Kennerk, he allegedly showed them a valid Amtrak ticket -- although it was for another train. Police officers in Trenton had been notified that Newark officials were searching for Kennerk. He was arrested before he could board his ticketed train, officials said. "The collective actions of law enforcement eliminated the possible carnage that could have been caused by the weapons involved in this case," New Jersey Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo said in a statement. As Kennerk was arrested, police searched his second suitcase and found multiple other weapons, officials said. He was allegedly carrying in that "dark maroon colored" suitcase an AR-15-style rifle, along with "multiple caches of ammunitions, multiple extended magazines, and multiple handguns," officials said. "The indictment of this individual underscores the severe threat posed by those who amass illegal weapons with blatant disregard for public safety," said Col. Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, in a statement. Deputy Attorney General Karen Bracizewsk, of New Jersey's Division of Criminal Justice, is expected to lead the prosecution against Kennerk, officials said. ABC News' Jessica Gorman and Victoria Arancio contributed to this report. Florida man indicted after allegedly bringing 'small arsenal' on Amtrak train, law enforcement says originally appeared on
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man busted moving arsenal of guns, ammo through Newark Penn Station
A Florida man accused of transporting suitcases full of guns and ammunition through the New Jersey rail system was indicted on Wednesday, authorities said. According to prosecutors, a New Jersey Transit police officer patrolling Newark Penn Station noticed an unattended zebra-print suitcase near the Newark subway entrance on Jan. 3 and called for a K9 unit. Inside that bag was a Girsan Regard MC handgun with a fully loaded 18-round magazine, an AK-47-style rifle with a round in its chamber and multiple loaded magazines, along with an AR-style magazine and four boxes filled with .223 caliber bullets, authorities said. Train station surveillance video allegedly showed Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, leaving that bag behind and carrying a maroon suitcase to an Amtrak ticket window. Cops learned he was headed toward the Trenton Transit Center, where a pair of officers encountered Kennerk and asked to see his ticket. The suspect showed police a valid transit pass, but it wasn't for the train he was on, prosecutors said. He was told to wait for another train that was arriving in an hour. While he was waiting, cops in Trenton were notified of 'a person of interest wanted for weapons possession in Newark' and moved in on Kennerk. Inside the suitcase he was still carrying, police allegedly discovered weapons including an AR-15-style rifle, several handguns and a second rifle with tissue wrapped around its trigger, as well as silencers and loads of ammunition including hollow point bullets. The second rifle, according to prosecutors, appeared to have been booby-trapped. 'The officer placed the muzzle into the suitcase pointed at the ground and attempted to remove one of the handkerchiefs to render it safe, at which time the firearm discharged without the officer engaging the trigger,' the New Jersey Attorney General's Office claimed in its indictment. No injuries were reported. 'This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers,' according to Attorney General Matthew Platkin. 'If not for the outstanding police work done in this matter, we can only imagine where this defendant and these weapons would have ended up.' Charges against Kennerk include possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of an assault firearm and aggravated assault. It's unclear what he planned to do with the portable arsenal.
CBS News
16-04-2025
- CBS News
Florida man indicted after bringing multiple weapons, ammunition on New Jersey Amtrak train, officials say
A Florida man was indicted on Wednesday on multiple weapons charges after he brought firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle, onto an Amtrak train in New Jersey in January , officials announced. Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, was indicted on several offenses, including possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of an assault firearm and more. "This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers," New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement. "He allegedly left a suitcase containing assorted weapons and ammunition – including an assault rifle – in the concourse of Newark Penn Station, where anyone could have been harmed by them. If not for the outstanding police work done in this matter, we can only imagine where this defendant and these weapons would have ended up." According to officials, an NJ Transit police officer saw an unattended black and white zebra print suitcase in front of the McDonald's at Newark Penn Station next to the entrance of the Newark subway on Jan. 3 just before 3 p.m. After a K9 unit cleared the bag for explosive devices, officials said police found a Glock handgun case inside the bag, along with multiple guns and ammunition. The case contained a Girsan Regard MC handgun with a fully loaded 18-round magazine and an AR-style magazine loaded with .223 rifle rounds, according to officials. It also had a plastic bag containing a shirt and two boxes labeled "9mm bullets" and four boxes of 223 caliber bullets. Officials said a zipped secondary compartment inside the suitcase found in Newark had a pink duffle bag with a black Zastava Arms AK-47 style rifle with "one round loaded in the chamber and multiple loaded magazines." Law enforcement reviewed surveillance video at Newark Penn Station that showed a man, allegedly Kennerk, wearing a black jacket with red pants and carrying two suitcases. He dropped the zebra print suitcase that was recovered by police, but then continued to carry a maroon one and went to the Amtrak ticket window to board a train bound for Virginia, officials said. The next stop for the train heading to Virginia was at the Trenton Transit Center. When the train arrived in Trenton, Kennerk allegedly showed officers a "valid Amtrak ticket for a different train" and said he boarded the wrong one. While Kennerk was waiting for the next train to arrive in Trenton, he was arrested after officers were told about a person of interest wanted in connection with the weapons found at Newark Penn Station, according to officials. Officials said police found even more weapons and ammunition inside his second suitcase at the Trenton Transit Center. They allegedly found an "AR-15 style rifle that was separated into the lower and upper receiver, multiple caches of ammunitions, multiple extended magazines, and multiple handguns." Officials said Kennerk was also in possession of a "booby-trapped" semiautomatic rifle that discharged without officers pulling the trigger. He also had silencers and hollow point ammunition, according to officials. "I am very proud of the NJ TRANSIT Police officers involved in this case," NJ Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo said in a statement. "The officers who were on point in observing the unattended luggage in Penn Station, the officers who tracked the suspect's movements and passed the information to their fellow officers in the Trenton Transit Center; and Transit officers in Trenton who then located and took the suspect in custody. The case did not stop there. NJ TRANSIT detectives, along with investigators from other law enforcement agencies, continued to work the case that eventually led to the suspect's indictment. The collective actions of law enforcement eliminated the possible carnage that could have been caused by the weapons involved in this case."
