MONMOUTH COUNTY – Police discovered that a Monmouth County man and previously convicted felon was in possession of a firearm connected to the Dec. 10 Jersey City shooting.
Ahmed A-Hady, 35, of Keyport has been charged in a criminal complaint with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced US Attorney Craig Carpenito. The weapon in question was found, along with a number of other weapons and ammunition, during a lawful search of a pawn shop and residence connected to one of the perpetrators of the recent mass shooting.
A-Hady was arrested by FBI agents over the weekend and is expected to appear federal court today.
On Dec. 10, 2019, a mass shooting in Jersey City took place in which two individuals – a male and a female – killed three civilians and one law enforcement officer. Following the incident, law enforcement recovered a handwritten note from the back pocket of one of the suspects that contained a telephone number ending in 4115, and a Keyport address. Police also recovered several weapons, including an AR-15 rifle, from the suspects.
Further investigation revealed that the number ending in 4115 on the note belonged to A-Hady and that the Keyport address listed on the note was a storefront for a pawn shop.
Law enforcement then obtained records of A-Hady’s history of firearm purchases which indicated that around May 23, 2007, A-Hady purchased a Smith and Wesson .45 caliber handgun bearing serial number NHN5284 (the “.45 caliber”). Records also indicate that on or about June 2, 2007, A-Hady purchased a Smith and Wesson .44 caliber handgun bearing serial number CEV4085 (the “.44 caliber”).
On April 2, 2012, A-Hady was convicted in Monmouth County Superior Court of attempting to obtain a controlled dangerous substance or analog by fraud, a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. As a result of that conviction, A-Hady is no longer permitted to possess a firearm, according to police.
On Dec. 13, 2019, police went to the Keyport pawnshop and interviewed A-Hady and two of his relatives. A-Hady admitted to police to owning both the .45 caliber and the .44 caliber, but falsely denied that they were on the premises.
One of A-Hady’s relatives then told law enforcement that there was a safe located inside Company A which contained firearms, including A-Hady’s .44 and .45 caliber handguns. This relative subsequently consented to a search of the safe and law enforcement recovered three firearms:
- a PK 380;
- a Ruger 9mm bearing serial number 33389546;
- the Smith and Wesson .44 caliber handgun bearing serial number CEV4085.
After a lawful search of both the pawnshop and A-Hady’s private residence, police recovered six rifles (including three AR-15-style assault rifles), three handguns, one shotgun, and over 400 rounds of ammunition, including a large number of hollow point bullets.
The charge of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
