Boonton Man Struck, Killed By Train At Rutgers

BOONTON, NJ — A Rutgers student from Boonton was tragically struck and killed by an Amtrak train over the weekend.

The death occurred at the New Brunswick train station at 4 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9. The Rutgers student, identified as Kenneth Patterson, was on the tracks when he was hit, an Amtrak spokesman said.

"At approximately 4:00 am on Saturday, December 9, Northeast Regional Train 65 originating from Boston, towards Norfolk, Virginia came into contact with an individual on the tracks near New Brunswick, New Jersey," said Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams. "The individual was later identified as Kenneth Patterson. There were no injuries to any crew or passengers."

Patterson was a first-year Rutgers student who played lacrosse with the club team.

"It is with a heavy heart that I bring you the news of the death of first-year student Kenneth Patterson. Kenneth, a Boonton, New Jersey native, died on Saturday morning. During his brief time at Rutgers, Kenneth made an impact on the community in his residence hall and was active with the university's club lacrosse team. The holiday season is a period that should be filled with reunions with loved ones, so please keep Kenneth's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days and weeks," Rutgers chancellor Deba Dutta said in an email message to the entire Rutgers community.

Image via Shutterstock

Reporting By Carly Baldwin