FREEHOLD – Three men are facing charges related to two separate shootings in Asbury Park, as part of a clash between rivals back in December. One of the men was involved in both shootings, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Antonio Pabon, 26, of Jackson Street in Freehold, is charged in both shootings. Pabon is facing two counts each of first degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and one count of second degree Possession of a Community Firearm. The charges are related to a Dec. 2, 2019 shooting in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue and a Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue.
Izais Normil, 24, of 8th Avenue in Neptune Township, is facing charges of first degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Possession of a Community Firearm, and second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon for the Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue.
Ja’air Butler, 24, of Sunset Avenue in Asbury Park, is facing charges of first degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Possession of a Community Firearm, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and second degree Certain Persons not to Possess Weapons for the Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Murder or Attempted Murder, all three men face a sentence of up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison on each count, subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act requiring each of them to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. They would each also be under parole supervision for five years following their release from prison.
If convicted of the second degree weapons offenses, each man faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison with a period of up to three years that must be served prior to becoming eligible for parole.
The charges stem from a pair of shooting incidents in December 2019. The first occurred at approximately 1:26 a.m. on December 2. The Asbury Park Police Department (APPD) responded to a 911 call reporting multiple shots fired in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue, and a separate report of a victim of a gunshot wound at a nearby Washington Avenue residence.
Upon arrival, officers located a 24-year-old male victim with a single gunshot wound to his upper left arm. The victim was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) and APPD revealed that the victim was leaving a residence in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue when he heard several gunshots and was struck in the arm. The victim ran to a nearby Washington Avenue residence where he asked the resident to call 911. The APPD and Asbury Park Fire Department First Aid arrived on scene a short time later and he was transported to JSUMC. Further investigation uncovered evidence that multiple shooters ambushed the victim as he exited the residence on Washington Avenue.
Two days later, the APPD responded to a 911 call at about 9:15 p.m. on December 4, reporting shots fired in the 1300 block of Mattison Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located multiple shell casings fired from multiple handguns at the intersection of Borden and Mattison avenues.
Once again, a joint investigation by MCPO and APPD revealed the shooting was the culmination of a rolling vehicle dispute that started in the area of the Atkins Avenue Deli and winding its way through Asbury Park before multiple shooters fired shots into a vehicle at the intersection of Mattison and Borden avenues.
The following day, at about 4:20 p.m. on December 5, APPD officers were traveling east on the 1100 block of Adams Street, when they observed a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved in the Mattison Avenue shooting and conducted a stop of the vehicle. Subsequent to an investigation, officers located two loaded handguns in the vehicle. As a result, Pabon, Butler and Normil were charged that day with weapons possession and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) in Freehold Township.
Pabon, Normil and Butler each had their First Appearances today before the Honorable James M. Newman, P.J.M.C. All three men remained detained at MCCI.
Despite the arrests, the investigation into both shootings remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Detectives Patrick Petruzziello or John Sosdian of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detectives Lemar Whittaker or Cynthia Yost of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300. Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; or, they can post their tip at https://www.p3tips.com/1182
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner, of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Asbury Park Satellite Office.
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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