Unidentified drone in New Jersey.
Source: MSNBC
Middletown Mayor Tony Perry wants answers.
Residents of a New Jersey town are wondering what happened to the strange lights that have been hovering in the night sky for weeks.
“I don’t know how I’m going to go back to my residents and be satisfied with this meeting because now I know I have 180 drones flying over New Jersey all the time,” Perry said after the meeting. A briefing was held by representatives of the Ministry of Security. “We don’t have any more information about where these drones came from, where they took off, where they landed.”
The briefing comes as New Jersey is experiencing one of the strangest, most widespread and longest-running conflicts ever involving seemingly unknown self-driving cars.
The drones, which many officials say are not “hobbyists” but commercial-grade devices, have raised concerns about privacy, security and public safety since they were first sighted in mid-November. Eyewitness reports, social media videos and officials confirmed that the drones, which are up to 6 feet in diameter, can quickly go from emitting eerie lights to no light at all, often avoiding detection.
Now, unexplained drone sightings and a lack of information are sparking uncertainty and frustration among local officials and law enforcement, who say agencies like the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are doing a poor job of being transparent with residents. not enough.
At a press conference hosted by Gov. Phil Murphy’s office on Wednesday, a representative from the Department of Homeland Security spoke via Skype alongside state officials to address local officials on the issue. Murphy was not present, according to local officials who attended the meeting.
Perry told NBC News that the FBI announced earlier this week it would launch a drone investigation, but no representatives were present. Beyond this, little information is available. Mayors who attended the briefing told NBC News that no one at state or federal agencies could directly confirm how many drones they believe may be flying over the state, with one saying they knew of “at least 400 sightings.” , while another said “Probably thousands.
on a wednesday part Speaking to a WBGO project, Murphy said sightings may be “over-reported” and many residents may see the same device or mistake other flying objects for drones.
Several officials at the briefing said the drones were commercial grade, but they could not confirm whether they belonged to a U.S. company or foreign entity.
Although Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said Wednesday that the drones came from an Iranian “mothership” off the East Coast The Pentagon quickly denied Claim.
Unidentified drone in New Jersey.
Source: MSNBC
Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singer said that day: “There are no Iranian ships near the coast of the United States, and there are no so-called motherships launching drones towards the United States.”
Shortly after the meeting, New Jersey Congresswoman Dawn Fantasia expressed her frustration in an online post, emphasizing her belief that “military intervention is the only way forward.”
“We know nothing. Period,” she said through X. “To say there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading and I convey that sentiment to all officials.”
Murphy later said he planned to send a letter to congressional leadership and President Joe Biden urging answers for the community: “Overwhelmingly, the federal government has to take the lead on this.”
“I rely primarily on experts and the federal government to make my living,” he said in response to a question about the claim that there is no viable danger. “There’s no evidence that anything was armed. There are some theories – we’re not ruling anything out.”
Advances in technology have increased the capabilities and availability of drones, but these machines have become an increasingly nuisance around the world and a national security issue. The drone has started playing play a greater role in military conflictsand also entangles U.S. bases in the UK and USA Police now often take special precautions Fighting drones at major events.
Drones in New Jersey were reported over Earle Naval Weapons Station in Monmouth County and Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, two military bases in the state and dozens of homes.
Minerals Mayor Sam Morris, who attended Wednesday’s press conference, told NBC News that while officials said they were able to detect and confirm drone sightings in multiple counties across the state, many of the drones were Going dark and lacking any kind of tracker makes it difficult to take them down, identify them, or track them down.
The FBI said Tuesday at a homeland security hearing in Washington, D.C., that while it has opened an investigation, it has not yet received answers.
“We have not yet attributed this to an individual or group; we are investigating, but I don’t know who is responsible,” said Robert W. Wheeler Jr., assistant director of the U.S. Emergency Response Team. the Bureau of Investigation said.
Asked if the public was at risk, Wheeler said: “There’s nothing known that would allow me to say that, but we just don’t know and that’s the concerning part.”
The U.S. Northern Command is a military agency established after the 9/11 incident and is responsible for coordinating civilian disaster relief efforts of the Department of Defense. Confirmed On Wednesday, it was “not asked to assist with these incidents” despite being aware of the sightings and analyzing them.
State Sen. Jon Bramnick issued a statement Tuesday urging New Jersey leaders to declare a limited emergency banning all drone flights until authorities provide more information about the sightings.
“The public deserves answers about these drones! I am calling for a limited state of emergency until we receive an explanation,” he wrote in a statement. Post on X.
Monmouth County Sheriff Sean Golden also called for a state of emergency on Wednesday, urging the governor in a statement to issue an executive order banning the use of recreational drones at night.
He said drones were causing a growing sense of “unease” among residents. one map Reports released by Monmouth County describe several areas where sightings have been reported.
As sightings like this continue, New Jersey residents have taken to social media to share images and videos of drones flying above them.
New Jersey resident Verity Lee posted a video on Facebook on Sunday of a bright drone flying in the night sky above her. Another Facebook user, Ernie Oporto, told NBC News he filmed a drone near the Woodbridge Township Police Department.
On Monday, 20 Morris County mayors sent a letter to Murphy expressing “deep concern” and highlighting the impact on 500,000 county residents and officials. The letter calls for a formal investigation into the flights, clear communication with officials and preventive measures to address unsafe drone operations.
Murphy said at a news conference Monday that he doesn’t “blame people for being frustrated,” adding that “the bottom line is we don’t see any concerns about public safety.”
While he stressed there was no reason to worry, a growing number of local officials have come forward to express their frustration with the lack of transparency from state and federal officials.
State Rep. Chris Smith sent a letter to Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd on Wednesday urging him to “immediately provide all available capabilities to identify and address widespread drone activity in New Jersey.”
“The serious concerns of New Jersey residents need answers, not empty assurances. The time for action is now,” Smith wrote in the letter.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., also wrote to federal officials on Wednesday, saying “without transparency, I believe rumors, fear and misinformation will continue to spread.”
