TOMS RIVER — Authorities are investigating a shooting that left a 17-year-old boy injured inside the Ocean County Mall on Hooper Avenue.
Police responded around 8:10 p.m. on March 25 after receiving a report of a gunshot victim. Officers found the teenager suffering from a single gunshot wound to the face. He was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and remains stable.
Investigators said the victim had been sitting in a common area of the mall when he was approached by another individual who attempted to initiate a confrontation. As the suspect walked away, officials said he turned back and fired several shots toward the victim, striking him once before fleeing in what is believed to be a gray sedan.
Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said the shooting appears to have been targeted and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Toms River Police Sgt. Brian O’Leary told Jersey Shore Online reporter Stephanie Faughnan that there was a shooting and that the victim was in stable condition. At that time, he said no additional details were immediately available as the incident just happened. Faughnan was covering the Wednesday night Toms River Council meeting when the incident happened and was able to make the confirmation of the incident.
Multiple scanner pages including Exit 82 Scanner News, Tri-County Scanner News, Jersey Shore Scanner News and Garden State News Network reported the incident.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit are continuing to investigate.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Sgt. Denis Mitchell of the prosecutor’s office at 732-929-2027, extension 2746. Officials said additional details will be released as the investigation progresses.
