Beachwood Man Was Aggravated Assaulted Victim In Lacey, Police Say

An 18-year-old man was the victim of an aggravated assault on Saturday morning, at 9:55 a.m., police said.

The Lacey Township Police Department was notified by the staff at Community Medical Center in Toms River that they were actively treating a patient with various injuries who claimed he was assaulted in Lacey Township.

Officer Joseph Soto responded to the hospital to investigate.

The victim,18-year-old Andres Velasquez of Beachwood stated that at approximately 1 a.m. (9 hours earlier Saturday morning), he was waiting for the New Jersey Transit bus at the bus stop located on Route 9 South near Parker’s Point Boulevard in Forked River when he was attacked, police said.

The victim stated that a newer gray car pulled up and parked next to the bus stop. The victim reported that two black males, both in their mid-to-late twenties, exited the vehicle and demanded his wallet.

One of the assailants was described as having a beard. No further description is available at this time. During the incident the victim reported receiving multiple injuries, including lacerations sustained from a knife or other sharp object.

The reported crime scene was inspected by Lacey Township patrol officers and physical evidence was located supporting the statement that the incident occur at the public bus stop located at Route 9 South and Parker's Point Boulevard in Forked River.

The Lacey Township Police Department Detective Bureau and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminalistics Investigation Unit are actively investigating this incident. The victim is at the Community Medical Center and in stable at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lacey Township Police Department at 609-693-6636, or may submit an anonymous crime tip through the police department website at www.LaceyPD.org/crime-tips.