Crime & Safety
Arrests Made in Beating of Julliard-Bound Dance Student
Three suspects have been identified in the assault of recent Red Bank Regional graduate Anthony Tiedeman
Red Bank Police say they’ve identified three suspects and made an arrest in the beating of a New York Julliard School of Dance-bound student at a party in Red Bank in June. The cause of the fight, Capt. Darren McConnell said, was little more than jealousies over high school romances.
Anthony Tiedeman, a recent graduate of , was attacked by three people, including at least one former classmate, after a longstanding argument over a girl. The 18 year old suffered numerous facial injuries in the attack – in which he’s been absolved of blame by police – including a broken jaw and tooth, as well as other superficial injuries.
McConnell said police arrested Shrewsbury resident and 2011 Red Bank Regional graduate Sean Montgomery late last week and have sent notices to two others, including Neptune resident Terry Campanella, to appear for an arraignment in Red Bank Municipal Court at borough hall this Thursday.
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The three suspects are being charged with aggravated assault.
The ages of the suspects, as well as the identity of the third, were not immediately available.
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Police were called to a Spring Street home just blocks away from Tiedeman’s own at around 10:20 p.m. on a Sunday night in June for a noise complaint. When they arrived they found the party breaking up, as well as a battered and bloody Tiedeman nursing his wounds. He was transported to Riverview Medical Center and eventually released following surgery to set his jaw.
McConnell could not say how that night’s fracas started, noting that there may have been back-and-forth jawing between angered individuals, but did say that the actual fighting was not a mutual act.
“It appears to be some longstanding beef among kids; no other underlying circumstances,” he said when reached by telephone Sunday. “There were some issues with ex-girlfriends and some ex-boyfriends. They did not like (Tiedeman).”
Police were able to identify the suspects thanks to witness reports, including those offered by Tiedeman. McConnell said several names were provided as potential suspects but that police were able to narrow the list down to the three they believe were most prominently involved.
McConnell said media reports that police were investigating the incident as a possible bias crime were the result of spin based on little more than stereotype and that Tiedeman does not belong to a group that would warrant as much.
Tiedeman was one of 26 dancers – and just 13 boys – out of 560 dancers who applied, to be accepted to the Julliard Dance program. Tiedeman specializes in Jazz and Modern Dance, according to previously published reports, and has choreographed his own routines, performing at this high school as well as numerous dance academies in the area.
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