Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Suspect in Bayville ShopRite Stabbing Still At Large, Will Be Charged With Attempted Murder

Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said $500,000 warrant issued for Christopher Page, 34-year-old black male from Bayville

Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele is urging residents to report any sightings of Christopher Page, 34, who is a suspect in the stabbing of a Bayville Shop-Rite employee earlier today.

The victim, Noah Jackson, 37, was stabbed three times near checkout lanes 1 and 3 at the store shortly before noon. He was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center after the incident, DiMichele said.

"He has severe injuries, but he is stable," the chief said. "The wounds went down to the bone."

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An altercation began in the store vestibule and continued into the front of the store near the checkout counters, where Jackson was stabbed, DiMichele said.

Page is considered armed and dangerous. He lives on Galleon Court in Bayville. Page is between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches, and weigh about 150 pounds. He has a dark, pockmarked complexion, short hair and is clean shaven, the chief said.

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Page walked into the store wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and shorts. He was wearing only shorts when he fled the store and left in a gold 2002 Infiniti.

The license plate number of the car is UYD-68X. Anyone who sees Page or his car should call 911 or the police department at 732-341-6600, DiMichele said.

Detectives are working "around the clock" to apprehend Page, the police chief said tonight.

Police believe that Jackson and Page knew each other, she said.

The Bayville ShopRite was slated to reopen around 5 p.m. today

DiMichele praised ShopRite officials for their cooperation during the investigation.

"They cleared the store for us," she said.

Jackson has worked at the store for about four years, ShopRite spokesperson Karen Meleta said.

Contrary to rumors, the nearby H & M Potter School was not on lockdown following the incident, Principal Jeffery S. Zito said.

The children did not go outside today as a  precaution, but the school day proceeded normally and children were slated to be dismissed at their regular time. The Camp Paw fund-raiser slated for 5 p.m. at the school is still on, he said.

"We are not on lockdown," Zito said.

The store's usually packed parking lot was empty this afternoon except for vehicles from the Berkeley police department and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. Both entrances to the store are roped off with yellow tape.

"This is most certainly an isolated incident," Meleta said. "We are a public place, Our doors are wide open. Unfortunately, these things do happen."

About ten employees were outside the store around 2 p.m., but none were able to comment on what happened inside the store this morning.

"Nobody's allowed to say anything," said a woman who was directing customers away from the store.


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