Story by Ethan
On June 4th, 2026, the arrest of Taquan N. Ayers, age 25, was announced by Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay. Taquan N. Ayers was charged with first-degree Attempted Murder, first-degree Kidnapping, second-degree Aggravated Arson, second-degree Attempted Aggravated Arson, second-degree Causing or Risking Widespread Injury of Damage, and third-degree Terroristic Threats. The arrest and charges against Taquan N. Ayers were a result of an investigation handled by the Gloucester Township Police Department and the Winslow Township Police Department.
According to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, at approximately 11:52 a.m. on June 4th, 2026, a fire at Taquan N. Ayers’ apartment, located at Cherrywood Apartments on 1200 Little Gloucester Road, was responded to by fire personnel and officers from the Gloucester Township Police Department. The fire was contained and extinguished properly before it spread to other apartments, and no injuries were reported. An investigation into the incident recovered security camera footage showing a suspect, identified to be Taquan N. Ayers, handling a gasoline can in the vicinity of the apartment complex shortly before the fire.
At approximately 12:03 p.m. the same day an arson was reported at Oaks Integrated Care, located at 128-Berlin Cross Keys Road. Fire personnel and officers from the Winslow Township Police Department responded to the scene to discover a parked vehicle ablaze outside of the facility. The vehicle was determined to belong to Taquan N. Ayers, who was also identified as the suspect and taken into custody at the scene without incident. An investigation into this incident uncovered that after the defendant set his vehicle on fire he entered his workplace building with a gasoline can. Taquan N. Ayers then allegedly doused the lobby area with the gasoline in an attempt to burn the building, however this attempt was unsuccessful. The defendant is alleged to have also made threatening comments towards other employees, and confined one in a locked office for several minutes. Taquan N. Ayers then left the building before being taken into custody shortly thereafter. While several employees and patients were inside of the facility, no injuries were reported.
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office stated that the charges against Taquan N. Ayers are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
