Florida Man Indicted for Weapons on NJ Trains

Jeffrey O. Kennerk, a 34-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was indicted on 16 counts, including aggravated assault, endangerment, and multiple weapons offenses, after bringing a cache of firearms and ammunition into New Jersey transit hubs and aboard an Amtrak train in January 2025. Authorities found an unattended zebra-print suitcase at Newark Penn Station containing a loaded handgun, an AK-47 style rifle, multiple magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Surveillance footage linked Kennerk to the luggage, and he was apprehended at the Trenton Transit Center while attempting to board another train to Virginia. A subsequent search of his remaining suitcase revealed more weapons, including an AR-15 style rifle, several handguns, silencers, and a booby-trapped rifle that discharged as officers rendered it safe. Law enforcement was praised for their swift response, which prevented a potential threat to public safety. Kennerk faces charges related to illegal possession of assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, silencers, and the booby-trapped firearm.