FREEHOLD – A man has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting Tuesday afternoon in Long Branch, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Miguel Leal Camara, 40, of Long Branch, is charged with first degree Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Disarming a Law Enforcement Officer, and fourth degree Contempt – Violating a Domestic Violence Restraining Order, in connection with the fatal shooting of 45-year old Marco Antonio Rosa Moreira, of Oakhurst. The shooting took place inside of a restaurant at 545 Broadway in Long Branch.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department revealed that a 911 call was received yesterday at 3:15 p.m. regarding a shooting inside of the restaurant. At the same time, a passerby flagged down an officer from the Long Branch Police Department who was driving nearby. That officer immediately responded to the restaurant, and upon entering found several people involved in a violent struggle with Camara, attempting to subdue him and take Camara’s gun away from him. As the officer tried to apprehend Camara, he attempted to grab the officer’s firearm but was unsuccessful in doing so. Other officers quickly arrived, and Camara was taken into custody without further incident.
The investigation disclosed that Camara walked into the restaurant and approached a table where the victim was seated with Camara’s ex-girlfriend and several members of her family, in violation of an existing restraining order. Camara then fired at Moreira, striking him in the head. A struggle then ensued between Camara, other members of Moreira’s party, and another restaurant patron. During that struggle, Camara attempted to kill his former girlfriend, but was unsuccessful in doing so, and she was uninjured. Camara’s ex-girlfriend and the others then tried to subdue and hold Camara until Long Branch Police arrived on scene. Moreira was thereafter pronounced deceased at 3:38 p.m. at the scene.
If convicted of Murder, Camara faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
If convicted of Attempted Murder, Camara faces 20 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole. Both the Murder and Attempted Murder charges are subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.
If convicted of the second degree weapons offenses and disarming a law enforcement officer, Camara faces a sentence up to ten years in prison on each charge.
If convicted of violating a restraining order, Camara faces 18 months in prison.
Camara is scheduled to have his First Appearance this afternoon before Superior Court Judge Judge David F. Bauman, where he will be formally presented with his charges.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
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