Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Thursday:

🔗 The man who shot 2 Atlantic City officers spent decades in prison

⚠️ Police identify the man who shot Atlantic City officers as 52-year-old Donald Gardner.
➡️ Officials said Gardner wounded two officers before being killed by return gunfire.
🔴 Records show decades of prison time tied to homicide, drug, weapons convictions.

ATLANTIC CITY — An ex-convict who wounded two Atlantic City police officers before being killed by returning fire on Tuesday had a lengthy criminal past, including a previous police shooting that left him paralyzed.

State officials on Wednesday identified the gunman as Atlantic City resident Donald Gardner, whose rap sheet included killing a friend over three decades ago.

The 52-year-old was also known to police by the aliases of Donald L Capriotti, Donald Jeffries and Donald Thomas.

Gardner began shooting Tuesday afternoon as two Atlantic City officers arrived with an arrest warrant at his North Florida Avenue residence.

He critically wounded Sgt. Christian Ivanov, according to a fundraiser for the officer’s family. Officer Robert Reynolds returned fire and killed Gardner, state authorities said on Wednesday.

Before Tuesday’s violent and deadly eruption in Atlantic City, Gardner had spent decades of his life behind bars.

Gardner served nearly 20 years for a 1992 aggravated manslaughter and was paroled in May 2012, Breaking AC reported.

🔗 Former NJ State Police chief defends Delaney Hall response

🚨 A former State Police superintendent defended troopers' handling of Delaney Hall protests.
➡️ Newark Mayor Ras Baraka accused officers of using overly aggressive tactics.
⚠️ The dispute has exposed divisions among Democrats over Gov. Mikie Sherrill's response.

NEWARK — The debate over immigration detention at Delaney Hall has evolved into a political fight over something else entirely: whether Gov. Mikie Sherrill and the New Jersey State Police responded appropriately to escalating protests outside the Newark facility this week.

As progressive activists and some Democratic officials criticize police tactics and question the governor's decision to deploy troopers in tactical gear, former State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan is defending the operation and arguing that officers showed professionalism and restraint under difficult circumstances.

When Sherrill called the State Police to quell unrest among protesters outside Delaney Hall, it was the first time many people had seen troopers dressed in tactical gear rather than their traditional uniforms.

It was the Advanced Tactical Unit that was sent in to handle the situation by creating protest zones, standing firm against taunts from protesters and responding quickly to threats of violence. One person used to seeing them in action is Callahan, the former head of the New Jersey State Police.

"What I saw in the videos I'd watched were very professional troopers who showed restraint, who gave opportunities, who laid the ground rules out early on, which is another key component," Callahan told New Jersey 101.5.

The dispute over police tactics comes as Sherrill faces criticism from the left over the state's response to demonstrations outside Delaney Hall. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has accused State Police of using tactics that were "overly aggressive, unnecessary and in some instances unconstitutional," while activists have questioned the deployment of heavily equipped troopers and the mass arrests that followed.

🔗 Democrats caused the Delaney mess, now they have to live with it (Opinion)

🏛️ New Jersey Democrats celebrated banning local ICE detention contracts in 2021. That decision helped pave the way for Delaney Hall.
⚖️ Federal courts ruled New Jersey could not block private companies from contracting with ICE, opening the door for GEO Group's Newark facility.
💰 Counties lost both oversight of detainee housing and millions in federal revenue after public detention contracts were phased out.

New Jersey's 2021 ICE detention ban reshaped immigration enforcement
For years, New Jersey Democrats insisted they wanted to shut down immigration detention facilities in our state. They celebrated when Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation in 2021 prohibiting county and local jails from entering into or renewing contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Supporters called it a victory for immigrant rights. Activists demanded every ICE detainee be removed from New Jersey facilities.

Well, they got what they wanted.

What happened next should have been entirely predictable.

With county facilities gone and state restrictions struck down, private operators suddenly became the only game in town. GEO Group seized the opportunity, securing a massive federal contract to reopen Delaney Hall in Newark as a 1,000-bed immigration detention center.

The irony is impossible to ignore.

The same political leaders now denouncing Delaney Hall helped create the conditions that made it possible.

Click the link to learn more about how past decisions created today's conditions.

🔗 Salem County investigates deaths of 2 sheriff's K9s

🚨Salem County officials are investigating the deaths of sheriff's K9s Rip and Boomer
🚨The dogs died Friday and were pronounced dead at an emergency vet hospital
🚨 Their handler has been placed on administrative leave

SALEM — The circumstances that led to the deaths of two K9s in the line of duty of Friday is under investigation in Salem County.

Salem County Sheriff Charles Miller said that the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office was notified of the deaths of Rip and Boomer, who died together while on duty on Friday. The dogs were brought to an emergency veterinary hospital in Delaware, where they were pronounced dead, Miller told NJ.com. The circumstances of their deaths were not disclosed.

Their handler, whose identity was not disclosed, has been placed on administrative leave, Miller told NJ.com. Rip and Boomer have both been with the Sheriff's Office since 2021.

“Their loyalty, service, and dedication to protecting the residents of Salem County will never be forgotten. We honor their lives with gratitude for all they gave and the service they performed alongside our officers in the countless ways they helped protect our community,” Miller said.

🔗 Meet NJ Transit’s new etiquette coach: Ricardo the bull

🐂 Ricardo the Bull, who became a viral sensation after wandering onto tracks near Newark Penn Station, is now the face of NJ Transit’s new courtesy campaign.
🚆 The “Ricardo Says” campaign uses the famous bull to encourage riders to be more considerate, improve safety, and reduce delays.
❤️ After being rescued from the tracks and recovering from a serious infection, Ricardo now lives at a North Jersey animal sanctuary.

A runaway bull that went viral in December 2023 when it wandered onto the NJ Transit train tracks near Newark Penn Station is now the star of the rail agency’s new customer courtesy campaign.
The campaign, entitled “Ricardo Says,” features Jersey icon Ricardo the Bull, designed to enhance the customer experience.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of customers rely on NJ Transit’s trains, buses, light rail lines, and Access Link service to get to and from work, school, appointments, and events.

“Ricardo Says” uses fun, whimsical drawings of the bull to highlight ways that all customers can be aware of their surroundings and help their fellow commuters while riding the transit system.

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

The New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show airs from 6 - 10 a.m. on New Jersey 101.5.

Join the conversation by calling 1-800-283-1015 or download the NJ101.5 app.

You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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