LAKEWOOD — A juvenile has been charged with murder and weapons offenses following a fatal shooting in Lakewood, authorities said.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said the charges stem from a shooting reported around 8:17 p.m. on March 1 in the area of Pearl Street.
Officers responding to the scene found a juvenile male suffering from a single gunshot wound to the back. The victim was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, where he later died from his injuries.
A joint investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, the Lakewood Township Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined that another juvenile was responsible for the shooting, officials said.
The suspect was charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. The juvenile is being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center.
Under New Jersey law, specifically N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60, authorities are prohibited from releasing additional details about juveniles charged in delinquency matters.
Billhimer credited members of the prosecutor’s Major Crime Unit, the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the township police department and the sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their coordinated efforts in the investigation.
