ADL: Man made anti-Semitic remarks before violent rampage, carjacking in New Jersey

Police arrested Dion Marsh, 27, of Manchester in connection with the crime spree.

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Monday, April 11, 2022
ADL: Man made anti-Semitic remarks before violent rampage in NJ
CRIME SPREE: Members of the Orthodox Jewish community in the Lakewood area were left shaken after police say a man went on a crime spree on Friday, injuring three people.

LAKEWOOD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Members of the Orthodox Jewish community in the Lakewood, New Jersey area were left shaken after police say a man went on a crime spree on Friday, injuring three people.

Justin Flancbaum was preparing for synagogue on Friday evening when his wife made a startling discovery outside their home on Galassi Court in Jackson Township.

"My wife ran into the house and said, 'call the medics right away somebody passed out on the front lawn,'" said Flancbaum.

It turned out to be his neighbor who had been hit by a car.

"I bent down and I grabbed his hand and I saw blood coming off of his forehead and I said, 'Moshe, everything's going to be okay,'" said Flancbaum. "Hatzalah's on their way. And he grabbed my foot and I kind of just stayed there with him until the medics came."

That man was critically injured and sent to Jersey Shore Medical Center.

Police say this is one of four crimes committed on Friday by the same man.

Police arrested Dion Marsh, 27, of Manchester.

His charges include three counts of attempted murder, carjacking, and bias intimidation.

The crime spree started around 1:15 p.m. when police were called to the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Pine Street in Lakewood. Police say Marsh assaulted a driver and stole their Toyota Camry.

Over the next seven hours, police say Marsh also struck two men in different locations with his vehicle, and stabbed a man in the chest.

Two of the victims were left in critical condition.

Officials held a press conference Sunday after the Friday night arrest.

"We've been working around the clock with our federal, state and local partners. We're going into the upcoming holidays with extra patrols working as well," said Lakewood Township Police Chief Gregory Meyer.

According to the Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey, the suspect made anti-semitic remarks during his arrest. An ADL spokesperson called the acts terrorism.

People in this Orthodox Jewish community say the events were scary to say the least and they're glad an arrest was made.

"For something to happen over a six-hour period of time throughout Lakewood and Jackson, it really shook our community and brought all the law enforcement together," said Moe Rabi of Jackson Township.

Dion Marsh has a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning.

We were not able to locate an attorney for Marsh.

For now, he's locked up in the Ocean County Jail.

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