New Jersey drones are perplexing the FBI, the Office of Homeland Security, and state police
SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. -- The case of the mystery drones over New Jersey is still a big unknown.
State and federal officials say they are no closer to finding out who's behind them, and that has prompted some people to ask for the military to help out.
All of it has prompted Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden to call on Gov. Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency and issue an executive order banning recreational drone use during nighttime hours.
"They don't have any information"
If you're wondering who is behind the drones hovering over homes, reservoirs, and even military bases, you are not alone. New Jersey State Police and the state's Office of Homeland Security briefed mayors and local elected officials on Wednesday, but had very little to report.
"They don't have any information," state Sen. Jon Bramnick said.
Bramnick said state leaders are baffled by the drones, which have been reported all over the Garden State.
Officials say the drones appear to be sophisticated, and the state lacks the resources to track them.
"Apparently, it's only the Department of Defense that has the sophisticated technology that could find out where these drones are from and where they're going. And that's what I said to the state police today -- bring in the Department of Defense because they have the technology. Otherwise, we're spinning wheels," Bramnick said.
FBI at a loss to explain the drones
The FBI is leading the drone investigation, but appears to be equally as perplexed. Assistant Director of Critical Incident Response Robert Wheeler Jr. testified before Congress on Tuesday.
"We do not attribute that to an individual or a group yet. We're investigating, but I don't have an answer for who's responsible for that," Wheeler said.
Wheeler said he doesn't think the public is at risk.
"There is nothing that is known that would lead me to say that, but we just don't know and that' the concerning part," Wheeler said.
"They don't know if there is a threat or not. There was one incident where apparently a state police helicopter had a large drone underneath it while it was flying. And then that drone turned off its lights and took off," Bramnick said.
Pentagon officials say the drones do not belong to the U.S. Military, and they do not appear to be coming from a foreign adversary.
