GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ(CNBNEW)(MAY 17, 2025)—There was another shooting in Gloucester City, according to the Gloucester City Police Department. This incident occurred in the 200 block of Essex Street on Saturday, May 17, around 3:27 AM.
The police said they responded to the 200 block of Essex Street to a report of a gunshot. Upon arrival, officers confirmed that a gun had been fired on the street at that location. Police said there was no indication that a bullet struck anyone.
The Gloucester City Police Department Detective Bureau is conducting a criminal investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective John Bryszewski at 856-456-7797.
Earlier this year, in January, there was a shooting in the 600 unit block of Ridgeway Street. The police department did not announce the crime until 23 days after it occurred. The public learned about the event from a Ridgeway Street resident who captured the incident on their Ring camera.
Our investigation into this alarming incident uncovered that Jason Fanning, the chairman of the Gloucester City Republican Committee, initially shared this video on social media, only to have it swiftly removed. In a subsequent post, Fanning revealed that he had complied with requests from Police Chief/Acting City Administrator Brian Morrell and Police Captain Jason Flood to take down the footage, as their investigation was ongoing.
Generally, law enforcement agencies prioritize releasing information about criminal activity, aiming to engage the public in their efforts to uncover vital details that could aid in their inquiries. The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office also dives into random shootings as standard protocol. However, the decision to withhold information about this specific incident leaves many questions unanswered, shrouding the community in uncertainty.
To obtain copies of the local investigation into this incident, we submitted an OPRA request to Gloucester City Municipal Clerk Vanessa Little, who also serves as the City’s Custodian of Records. We also contacted the Camden County Prosecutors Office, requesting copies of their research into this shooting. Our OPRA request was never answered. Also, the Camden County Prosecutors Office never responded to our request for comment.
When we didn’t receive a response from the City’s Custodian of Records, we contacted the Government Records Council (GRC) office in Trenton. And we were told we would have to file a complaint with their office against the City of Gloucester in order for their office to get involved.