Overview
- Police say Jermaine Lynn Long, 44, was arrested near the pier after witnesses described the attacker; officers reported finding a box cutter and a knife on him.
- Investigators have tied Long to an alleged sledgehammer assault at a 7-Eleven hours before the boardwalk attack, and prosecutors have filed an additional aggravated battery charge.
- Jail and court records show Long has entered not guilty pleas and is being held without bond, with the next court date reported for March.
- Doctors treated 13-year-old Sullivan Clarke for a neck laceration requiring 13 stitches, saying a cut one millimeter deeper likely would have been fatal.
- Authorities have not established a motive; the boy’s family, noting Long’s release four days earlier and prior unpursued allegations, is pressing officials for accountability.