A New Jersey state senator is calling on the Department of Defense to investigate the recent mysterious nighttime drone sightings amid rising public frustration over a lack of answers. State Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-N.J., said that the state police are not equipped to handle the situation and that the Department of Defense has the technology to monitor the drones.
Bramnick urged the Department of Defense to come in and shut down the airspace to drones until they can figure out what’s going on. He also called for a limited state of emergency to be declared, saying that without the Department of Defense’s involvement, the state will have no information about the drones.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., claimed that the drones are linked to an Iranian “mothership” stationed off the U.S. East Coast, a claim later denied by the Pentagon. Van Drew called for the drones to be “shot down,” warning of potential national security implications.
The FBI’s Newark field office released a statement seeking information on the reported drone sightings, and a meeting was scheduled by the governor’s office for Wednesday morning to discuss the situation. However, Governor Phil Murphy did not attend the meeting, prompting criticism from local officials.
The Monmouth County sheriff’s office released a statement urging Murphy to declare a state of emergency and issue an executive order banning recreational drone use during nighttime hours.