Latest news with #RobertMontgomery
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
1 dead, 14 injured, including children, after lightning strike in New Jersey
JACKSON, NJ — One person was killed and 14 others were injured, including eight children, after a lightning strike at an outdoor archery range in New Jersey on July 16, officials said. The lightning strike occurred at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Black Knight Bowbenders archery range in Jackson Township, a suburb in Ocean County located about east of the state's capital city of Trenton. The incident occurred while the club was hosting a competition for the Boy Scouts, according to Joseph Candido, the township's public safety information director. The lightning strike killed a 61-year-old man and sent another to the Burn Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, a township near Newark and about 50 miles north of Jackson, Candido said. The deceased was later identified as archery instructor Robert Montgomery, of Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey. In addition to Montgomery, 13 other people, including eight children, were sent to local hospitals for treatment, Candido said. Their injuries ranged from minor burns to some reporting feeling electrical sensations in their bodies, according to Candido. The victims were as young as 7 years old. The lightning also struck an apartment complex in town, but minor damage was reported, Candido added. Jackson First Aid and multiple other agencies responded to the scene, including Freehold, Howell, Toms River, Plumsted, Millstone, and Hatzolah first aid squads, Candido said. The Black Knight Bowbenders outdoor archery range is located on nearly 50 wooded acres in a remote area off Perrineville Road. The club features numerous archery competitions throughout the year. Heat wave sizzling parts of Northeast: NYC could feel like a 100-degree cooker Mayor: No other incidents reported from the thunderstorm The incident occurred as thunderstorms were forecasted for parts of the eastern and central United States on July 16, including New Jersey. The lightning strike happened shortly before a severe thunderstorm warning was issued in Ocean County. Nick Guzzo, a meteorologist on duty at the National Weather Service station in Mount Holly, said the thunderstorm that passed over Jackson "wasn't necessarily anything atypical" of such an event. But he noted that the weather service was aware of what happened in Jackson and was attempting to gather more data on the circumstances that led to the lightning strike. Reina said that he had spoken to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who offered to send whatever resources the town needed. "I have been briefed on a lightning strike tonight at an outdoor archery range in Jackson. At this time, we have at least one fatality and multiple injuries," Murphy said in a post on X. "All injured have been transported by first responders. Please pray for everyone involved in this tragic incident." The mayor said seven outside agencies were assisting, but aside from the incident at the Black Knight Bowbenders, there were no other reported incidents from the storm. 'We're grateful for the offer, but we have no downed trees, no power outages — this was a lightning strike," Reina said. New Jersey lightning strike: 28-year-old dies after getting struck by lightning on golf course Severe weather in the Northeast The lightning strike also comes just days after powerful storms swept across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on July 14, inundating cities with heavy rainfall and causing flash flooding in some areas. The storms killed two people in Plainfield, New Jersey, a suburb about 30 miles outside New York City, and flooded multiple stations in the New York City subway system. Murphy had declared a state of emergency due to the "flash flooding and high levels of rainfall in parts of the state." Officials recorded 6 inches of rain in under two-and-a-half hours the evening of July 14, Murphy previously said during a news conference. The weather service in Mount Holly also warned that flood impacts were expected to continue on July 15. Following the storms, a heat advisory was issued on July 16 for parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The advisory remains in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on July 17 for portions of central and southern Delaware, northeast Maryland, and southern New Jersey, according to the weather service. Contributing: Christopher Cann This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lightning strike in New Jersey kills 1 and injures 14, including kids Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
17-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Cinnaminson man dies in Jackson Township, New Jersey, lightning strike at archery range
A 61-year-old man from Cinnaminson, New Jersey, died after being struck by lightning in Jackson Township on Wednesday. Robert Montgomery, of Burlington County, lived with his dogs and loved teaching archery. His neighbors described him as a nice guy. Eduardo Zambrano was stunned to learn that his next-door neighbor of more than 20 years had been killed. "I'm really sad that I won't see him around here anymore," Zambrano said. "He would clean my driveway and I would do the same for him." Montgomery was a volunteer at the Black Knight Bowbenders Archery Range. Montgomery and more than a dozen members of the Jackson Cub Scout Pack 204 were at the range for a competition Wednesday evening when the lightning strike happened with no warning. "It was just the finger of God went and pointed down and hit a tree real close by here, the Earth exploded, dirt went flying everywhere, and when I turned around, there was at least seven people down on the ground flat," said Gene Grodzki, who is also a volunteer and instructor at the range. Grodzki said he ran to get a defibrillator and performed CPR on Montgomery, but Montgomery didn't survive. According to Jackson Township Police, 14 others were hurt. Police said some suffered burns and others reported not feeling well. The youngest victim was only 7 years old. "It was the loudest thing I ever heard in my life and then you could hear things coming out of the trees," Grodzki said. Bob Helle, a former president at the range, said he knew Montgomery personally. "He was a great man, a good volunteer, helped the kids, helped the club you know. I think he's been with this club seven, eight years," Helle said. Understandably, Montgomery's family is still in shock and declined an interview. According to Scouting America, all of the Cub Scouts injured are expected to be OK physically.
CBS News
17-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Deadly lightning strike in New Jersey turned Cub Scout outing into mass chaos, witness says
A deadly lightning strike in Jackson Township, New Jersey, turned a Cub Scout outing into mass chaos Wednesday night, a witness said. Eleven boys and two girls with Cub Scout Troop 204 were getting an archery lesson at the Black Knight Bow Benders club when witnesses say, out of nowhere, a tree was struck by lightning. According to witnesses, it was cloudy at the time, but it wasn't raining and there were no severe weather warnings. Robert Montgomery, a 61-year-old instructor, was killed, and at least 14 others were injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment. According to the National Weather Service, this is the 12th lightning fatality in the United States this year and the second in New Jersey. Ten-year-old Ryan Coopey was among those injured. "I turn around and look, and there's bodies on the ground. Adults, kids, burns, just other parents and kids screaming," father Tom Coopey said. Coopey said troop leaders began performing CPR immediately, saving lives. The impact of the strike knocked Ryan out of his socks and sneakers, which ended up being shredded by the impact, Coopey said. He says his son is now resting as he heals from second-degree burns on his foot. "He's still in shock. Anxiety is still up," he said. Despite this traumatic event, Coopey says Ryan still wants to work his way up to Eagle Scout. According to Scouts of America, all but one of its members were released from the hospital Wednesday night. "Our thoughts and wishes for good health and healing are with all of those involved," the organization said in a statement, in part. Mike Luster, an instructor and 25-year member of Black Knight Bow Benders, said he was closest to the lightning strike. "It was a flash. I thought it was a bomb. And that was it, I was on the ground," he said. "It knocked me to the ground, and I said, what happened? Am I dead? I stood up and looked at my legs, and I thought my legs were blown off." Luster is grateful to have only injured his knee, but his friend and fellow volunteer instructor was killed. "I'm still shaken. I'm still very upset, crying. It should've been me. That was my position," Luster said. "He was a great man, a good volunteer. Helped the kids, helped the club," archery club life member Bob Helle said. Club members who were instructing the children say the strike was so powerful, one person was shot into a tree and the club's treasurer was injured, as well. "He just said he got singed, looks like he got a sun tan. You know, he sounded OK when I just talked to him," Helle said. Witnesses say police and paramedics arrived within minutes. The Cub Scout troop plans to hold a thank you benefit for the first responders who helped in the near future, Coopey said.
Miami Herald
17-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Lightning strike kills 1, injures 14 at archery range, New Jersey police say
One person is dead and 14 others are injured after police say they were struck by lightning at an archery range in New Jersey. Shortly after 7 p.m. July 16, police were called to the Black Knight Bow Benders Archery Range in Jackson Township for reports of multiple people being struck by lightning, according to a Facebook post by the Jackson Police Department. Police were told one of the victims was receiving CPR. When officers arrived, several people were being checked by medical personnel and one man was receiving CPR, police said. One victim lost unconsciousness but then regained it. Fourteen people were injured, some burned and some complaining of pain and not feeling well, police said. Robert Montgomery, 61, died from his injuries. 'We are heartbroken at the tragic loss of Robert Montgomery from our #archery family and stand with our community in this time of grief,' USA Archery said in a Facebook post. The people struck ranged in age from 7 to 61 years old, officers said. They were taken to a hospital to be treated, and one person was taken to a burn center with severe burns, according to police. 'There were no storms at that time. No rain or thunderstorm. Just one bolt of lightning. An accident that I hope we never see again,' Garden State Archers said in a Facebook post. Jackson Township is about a 60-mile drive south of Newark.
