NJ Gym Owners Cited For Third Day Despite Murphy Warnings

BELLMAWR, NJ — The owners of a South Jersey gym that continues to reopen in violation of the governor's executive order were cited for a third time on Wednesday, officials announced.

In addition to a summons for violating Gov. Phil Murphy's stay-at-home order, Atilis Gym owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti were charged with making a public nuisance, according to Superintendent of the State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan.

In addition to law enforcement actions, Callahan said there are additional actions that can be taken that fall under the purview of the State Department of Health.

"This is not just a point of principle, this is a reality that we are just not there yet as a public health matter," Murphy said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. "This is a health crisis unlike any we've ever faced and an economic crisis unlike any we've ever faced. We understand both of those points, but you don't solve the second until you've solved the first."

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An image provided to Patch on Wednesday showed police arriving at the gym with what appeared to be a summons. Fox 29 reported that police were following gym goers as they left the gym parking lot and issuing summons for violations of executive orders.

The gym opened its doors once again at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, but to a much smaller crowd. This happened after Smith and Trumbetti were issued summonses from local police two days in a row.

Members were given warnings, but Murphy said they would face a different reality if they returned on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear what the governor meant. Read more here: Gov. Murphy Warns Gym After It Reopens, Defying NJ Orders

Things escalated a little on Tuesday, when the owners were once again issued a summons and a gym member was arrested for violating the executive order and obstruction of justice when he failed to give police his name. Read more here: NJ Gym Warned By Gov. Murphy Reopens For 2nd Day; 1 Arrested

Another person was also charged with organizing a protest, and five other people were issued summonses for violating the executive order, according to Bellmawr police.

The Law Offices of Jef Henniger has offered to represent for free gym members at Atilis Gym who get arrested in connection with violating the governor's executive order. An online fundraiserlaunched to help the gym owners pay their court costs had raised more than $40,000 as of Wednesday.

The gym's mission first became known last week when Smith told Tucker Carlson on Fox News that he would defy the governor's orders. If the state shut his gym down, he said, he would just reopen. Read more here: South Jersey Gym To Reopen In Defiance Of Coronavirus Orders

The owners announced the gym would reopen and follow social distancing guidelines and safety precautions, including taking the temperatures of members who wished to enter and denying access to anyone with a fever of 100.4 or higher. Capacity would also be limited to 44 people at a time.

Despite the summonses and arrests, the scene has been peaceful, and those who gathered to support the gym spent most of the afternoon on Tuesday showing support from inside their cars to avoid violating the executive order.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know