Man arrested with multiple firearms and ammunition while transporting them through Newark Penn Station.
A Florida man has been indicted following an incident in which he allegedly transported multiple firearms and significant quantities of ammunition through the New Jersey rail system. Authorities reported that Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, was apprehended as the result of a canine patrol’s discovery of an unattended suitcase at Newark Penn Station on January 3.
While on patrol, a New Jersey Transit police officer observed a zebra-print suitcase near the entrance to the Newark subway. Upon inspection, the suitcase contained a Girsan Regard MC handgun equipped with an 18-round magazine, an AK-47-style rifle chambered and ready for firing, along with several loaded magazines, an AR-style magazine, and four boxes of .223 caliber ammunition.
Surveillance footage captured Kennerk leaving this suitcase behind, only to proceed to an Amtrak ticket counter with a maroon suitcase in tow. When questioned regarding his travel documentation, he presented a valid transit pass; however, it did not correspond with the train he had boarded. Authorities informed him to expect a wait for another train scheduled to arrive in approximately one hour.
While Kennerk was waiting, police in Trenton received a notification regarding a “person of interest” connected to weapons possession in Newark. Officers approached Kennerk to investigate further. In the maroon suitcase he possessed, authorities allegedly uncovered an extensive arsenal: an AR-15-style rifle, multiple handguns, and a second rifle that had tissue wrapped around its trigger. Additionally, the suitcase contained silencers and a large quantity of ammunition, including hollow-point bullets.
Prosecutors have suggested that the second rifle appeared to be booby-trapped. Allegedly, when an officer attempted to make the weapon safe by removing one of the handkerchiefs, the firearm discharged unexpectedly despite the officer not engaging the trigger. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin characterized the case as serious, noting that Kennerk brought a “small arsenal” of deadly weapons into densely populated transit areas and onto a train filled with passengers. Charges against Kennerk include possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of an assault firearm, and aggravated assault. The intentions behind Kennerk’s actions remain unclear, raising concerns over public safety and the implications of such alarming behavior within transit systems. The successful interception by law enforcement has been hailed as a critical measure in preventing potential harm to the public.
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