By: Richard L. Smith
The vicious and deadly stabbing of a 56-year-old man in the parking lot of a Newark shopping center has reignited public outrage over the deteriorating conditions at the ShopRite complex on Springfield Avenue.NJ, the supermarket, is one of my favorite places to enjoy one of the best tasty self-serve lunches when I'm in Newark and the surrounding area, but there are many times when I don't feel safe.
For many shoppers, the incident is just another grim reminder of the lawlessness that has transformed their once-convenient supermarket run into an exercise in anxiety and self-preservation.
Residents have long voiced concerns about the rampant criminal activity surrounding the store—concerns that seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
The parking lot, they say, and I've witnessed, has become a magnet for aggressive panhandlers, unregulated transport hustlers, illicit drug activity, and, now, deadly violence.
A Deadly Dispute Over a Possible Transportation Hustle
According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the fatal encounter that took the life of Mr. Rodney J. Mayes, 56, of East Orange, took place around 7:12 p.m. Monday.
An armed security officer inside the supermarket was alerted by shoppers that a man was bleeding in the parking lot. When the officer arrived, he found Mayes suffering from apparent stab wounds.
Preliminary investigations reported by The Essex County Prosecutor's Office that Mayes had engaged in a verbal dispute with an unidentified suspect before the attack.
Law enforcement sources indicate that the conflict may have stemmed from the unregulated “gypsy cab” operation that flourishes in the lot.
Many Newark residents without cars rely on these unauthorized ride services, where drivers—often city employees or off-the-books workers—compete for customers. Newark Central Ward ShopRite has its own -limited- transportation service.
Sources say the suspect in this case may be a Newark city employee.
Officials have yet to confirm this scenario, but it is believed that Mayes and the suspect clashed in a dispute raging under $20.
Mayes was rushed to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The suspect fled the scene and remains at large, county officials said.
On October 20th, stray bullets from a nearby shooting shattered the front window of the supermarket. No injuries were reported.
An Unchecked Crisis
For frequent shoppers, the violent incident comes as no real surprise. The ShopRite complex has become a hotbed of unchecked crime, they say, with the parking lot serving as a breeding ground for aggressive solicitation and even physical altercations.
Many liken it to the now-shuttered Pathmark on Bergen Street, a supermarket that became synonymous with crime before closing its doors after the chain 'went out of business.'
Customers describe the Central Ward shopping center as running a gauntlet of persistent panhandlers, aggressive ride hustlers, and blatant drug dealing just to get to their cars.
Meanwhile, rats scurry freely around the premises, emboldened by the filth and food waste accumulating near the fast-food chains in the same plaza.
One frustrated shopper put it bluntly: “It’s ridiculous. You can barely walk out of the store without someone harassing you for money or a ride. And where are the police? You never see them around here.”
Hope for Change Amid Ownership Shakeup
The growing frustrations come as the Wakefern Food Corp. recently announced a change in ownership. The Glass Gardens family-run chain has taken over the Newark ShopRite from longtime operator Neil Greenstein, who expanded the business to Newark in 2015.
While the ShopRite in Bloomfield underwent a significant renovation in 2022, conditions in Newark’s store have only worsened.
Despite the concerns, many residents have no other choice but to continue shopping there. The 70,000-square-foot supermarket is the only major grocery store in Newark’s Central Ward, making it an essential, affordable food source.
Yet, many fear that the situation will only worsen unless immediate action is taken to improve security and curb criminal activity.
"We shouldn't have to risk our lives to buy food," one exasperated shopper told RLS Media. "It’s unacceptable, and it’s time for someone to step up before another tragedy or murder happens.”
For now, the community waits, demanding answers, action, and, most of all, the fundamental right to shop safely.
I don't want to get my tasty self-serve breakfast and lunch from anywhere else in Newark but Shop-Rite, but I want to feel safe doing so.