NJ Law Enforcement Appear to Contradict Dobbs' Version of Gunfire Incident

New Jersey state police seem to be contradicting CNN Host Lou Dobbs' account of a gunfire incident near his Sussex County, New Jersey, house.

On Monday on his radio show, Dobbs stated that "my wife has now been and I have been shot at." The alleged incident, which Dobbs had reported to the New Jersey State Police, took place three weeks prior to the October 26 broadcast of the Lou Dobbs Show, and Dobbs told his listeners that it had "followed weeks and weeks of threatening phone calls." Dobbs' discussion of the incident during his radio show also included mention of both longtime critic and FOX host Geraldo Rivera and the immigrant advocacy organizations calling for his removal from CNN including the National Council of La Raza, America's Voice and other "ethnocentric interest groups."

Without specifying who he suspects of making the alleged threats, he also said on his radio show that "They've threatened my wife, they've now fired a shot at my house while my wife was standing next to the car." Concluding with a call for "truth, justice and the American way," Dobbs cautioned "if anybody thinks that we're not engaged in the battle for the soul of this country right now, you're sorely mistaken." And during an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Thursday, Dobbs spoke again about the gunfire incident, linking it to "threatening phone calls tied to the positions I've taken on illegal immigration."

Interviews with the New Jersey State Police yielded a rather different assessment of the events described by Dobbs. In a phone interview conducted yesterday, Sgt. Stephen Jones, a NJ State Police spokesperson, chuckled out loud after he heard about Dobbs' account of the gunfire incident. Jones commented that he "wouldn't classify it [the gunfire incident] as very unusual." He also confirmed that there are hunters in the area, and stated that, "at this time of year hunter [shooting] complaints go up."

He observed that in the ongoing police investigation sparked by Dobbs' complaint, "nothing has been determined [regarding] what the intended target for this bullet was." Nor did Jones confirm whether the shots near Dobbs' house appeared to be an accident or intentional.

Another New Jersey State Police spokesperson, Sgt. Julian Castellanos, noted that "it's a wide open area and there are hunters in the area." Castellanos explained that the bullet had hit the house in vicinity of the attic; it "hit the vinyl siding and fell to the ground" without penetrating the vinyl, he said.

While Lou Dobbs' wife, Debi Lee Segura, was standing outside the house at the time of the gunfire, the bullet did not come close to her; it "struck at the apex of the house, near the roof," and thus considerably higher than a standing person, Jones observed.

Jones says he had not seen any mention of death threats in the reports about this incident. As Dobbs stated on his October 26 radio show, the CNN host had "decided not to report" "threatening phone calls" he says he has received.

The New Jersey police made no mention of the immigration reform groups Dobbs discussed in connection with the incident.

When asked to comment for this story, Dobbs disputed the New Jersey State Police's account, saying in an email that "there was no hunting season underway three weeks ago." However, an official at the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Bureau of Law Enforcement confirmed in a phone interview that state hunting seasons were underway at the time of the gunfire incident three weeks ago.

Asked what he thought of Dobbs' version of the gunfire incident, Sgt. Jones stated, "I'm really going to leave Lou Dobbs' assessment to himself."

 

Comments

[The Ghost Of Ezra Pound]

The only New Jersey hunting permitting rifle usage at the time of the incident was opossum and raccoon hunting. These animals are treed and shot generally in the treetops. These animals are also nocturnal... early morning hunting... as absurd as the notion that someone would be after a nice 'possum breakfast or a genuine 'coonskin hat is... never occurs.

Unsubstantiated allegations and ad hominem does not a news article make.

Ms. MacDonald... in the future... please stick to responsible journalism. The hunting laws of New Jersey are easily verifiable... inserting the vague quote that at the time of the Lou Dobbs incident... hunting was allowed in New Jersey... is intentionally misleading... you intentionally wanted the reader to assume that rifle deer hunting was in season... this is unethical reporting.

[LeeCalif]

I'll bet it happened around the 4th of July with someone in the neighborhood sh ooting up into the
air and Lou, needing the ratings during ratings week, brings it up now.

[cobraxus]

Castellanos explained that the bullet had hit the house in vicinity of the attic; it "hit the vinyl siding and fell to the ground" without penetrating the vinyl, he said.

I've seen lots of ads for vinyl siding but none of them claim they can take small-arms fire at close range.

[roald]

Defective bullet, long-range shot, or new type of siding, not yet advertised. Guess which one I would be on?

[seattle music]

Is Dobbs against LEGAL immigration?

Or is he just against ILLEGAL immigration?

There is a very, very critical difference between the two.

[GRIMKAG]

No there isn't.

[indiecon]

Please explain how there isn't a difference. Legal and illegal are opposites and are different. I would love to have you explain how they are the same. This ought to be interesting.

[WritusMaximus]

No difference to those folks who want to deceive, for deception fits their agenda. For them, the term "illegal immigration" doesn't exist. Their playbook is to lump together both legals and illegals under the term "immigrants", so an attack on illegal immigration (remember, "illegal" doesn't exist) is an attack on all immigrants and therefore racist. Notice how they use the same codes, same language---you'll never hear them use the term illegal immigration---that's what it is under the law, so the need for them to "reform" (change) the law. It's not enough that current laws are not being enforced in them sanctuary cities/states.They prefer to use "undocumented", and must convince millions in this country to do the same.

[GRIMKAG]

You favor relaxation of the immigration laws to allow for more Latin immigration, do you?

[tedmore123]

The bigger question is; is LD in favor of businesses illegally exploiting undocumented aliens or is he in favor of punishing businesses illegally exploiting undocumented aliens.

[GRIMKAG]

Here is a better alternative. Allow businesses to hire undocumented workers, and then give the workers the same protections that documented workers enjoy. That way, everyone (who believes in freedom) wins.

[noaxe397]

I don't know how CNN can keep him on the air much longer if he is now ranting about people shooting at him.

I'm glad he does not live in a golf course property otherwise he'd be calling the cops everday over those large white pellets that he is bombarded with.

[shortandwide]

Hey Lou! "Just becuase your paranoid ,dos'nt mean they're not watching you!" Can't pin point that quote but, I think I heard it in a song.

[supertim]

its ironic that these hate mongering millionaires always complain about security, yet refuse anyone to publish pics of their mansions when they court controversy, in the case of beck it was when he put up six foot walls without zoning approval, and i would like to see where on the house the alleged sniper's bullet struck

[Kevins]

According to the NJ Police, it was hunters.

And Dobbs is foul.

See? It was a spelling error.

[eppursimuove]

Dobbs make stuff up? That's never happened before. Unless you count all the outrageous birther claims that he has repeatedly trumpeted on his show.

[Pablo]

What claims are those? Can you cite one?

[SoCalNick]

He / WE could cite 1000s but your question is so silly I am sure no one will bother. Nice try and reversing the line that stumps all of your type though.

NEXT.

[Cookie100]

Dobbs' discussion of the incident during his radio show also included mention of both longtime critic and FOX host Geraldo Rivera and the immigrant advocacy organizations calling for his removal from CNN including the National Council of La Raza, America's Voice and other "ethnocentric interest groups."
*****************

Ethnocentric groups Lou, really! I'm a 56 yr old white woman, my husband is 58 and white also, no 2 people have called CNN to get you removed, more than we have. I take that back, my 85 year old mom-in-law, also white has called more than we have!

[S Cooper]

LOL Bravo!

[rosal]

Fanned, talked about Truth, Justice, and the American Way, here is an example. Thank you

[roshni]

Fanned. I am an Asian woman and I have done the same.

[SoCalNick]

YOU GO COOKIE ^5

[abbienormal]

Lou, Lou, Lou.... Tsk.

[CUL8R]

Big surprise. A "journalist" making up the news.

[weatherwaxx]

A real journalist, checking police records to verify a preposterous claim. You don't see that much on Faux, do you? But that's what journalists DO.

[linda6or7]

Probably a total lie. What bullet doesn't penetrate the siding yet you heard and saw it? No way. It's a lie. Total lie. Bullet planted.

[BlackRabbit]

It was likely a spent bullet from a hunting rifle, in which case it might very well not penetrate the siding.

[linda6or7]

but they heard the shot? They saw it hit? They found the bullet? Too much. Too much.

[born right]

Excepting farmers, who may use rifles for varmint control (usually small .22 caliber) New Jersey does not allow hunting with rifles. A hunter may choose to hunt with a black powder gun or use a slug with a shotgun. Both are smooth bores (no rifling) and have much shorter effective ranges. That's not to say that someone didn't discharge a rifle illegally.

[wadenelson1]

Dobbs and Cheney have a $10,000 bet as to who can establish the largest "credibility gap" with the American public.

[jhepp]

Phew, a freelance journalist just when we need one!

[cheeky33]

I was thinking the same thing. She's probably one of the 100,000 or so real journalists newspapers and broadcast have fired, laid off or bought out so they can staff their newsrooms as they do with stenographers who don't get paid to check anything out, just clean up press releases.

So, today, thank God for the real thing in a journalist, just when we need them.

[Changeizgood]

U mean "clean up press releases and "look pretty at it"