Man Shot Multiple Times at Hope's Crossing
Gunfire also damaged three apartments, parked car
A 19 year-old Toms River resident was shot multiple times as gunfire erupted outside a Hopes Crossing apartment around 11 p.m. Thursday, police said.
Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said the victim, who was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, was found shot, lying outside an apartment on Tolerance Court, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds to his leg and hand. The victim’s name was not released.
A spray of gunfire pierced through windows and walls of nearby apartments, and a parked vehicle was also damaged by the shooting, Mastronardy said. Saying the investigation was still ongoing, the police chief added the number of shots fired and the activity leading up to the shooting was unknown at this time.
Police are searching for an Hispanic male, with short dark hair in his 20s, believed to be approximately 5’11” and wearing a white shirt. The police chief said the incident is possibly gang related.
Though no occupants were injured, three apartments were hit with gunfire in Hopes Crossing off Massachusetts Avenue and Cox Cro Road, Mastronardy said. Windows were shattered, and bullets lodged in walls of two of the apartments, he said.
“The investigation found that multiple shots were fired, many striking the victim and three that entered into three separate apartments and traveled through walls and cabinets,” Mastronardy said. “None of the occupants in the apartments were struck by bullets. Police also found a vehicle parked in the lot suffered damage as it was struck by two bullets.”
The victim, a resident of the Silverton section of Toms River, was transported by Toms River EMS to the hospital.
A block away from the shooting, the Toms River Police substation property at Cox Cro Road and Massachusetts Avenue was filled with police vehicles as investigators and officers worked past 1 a.m. as part of the investigation.
Toms River Police and Ocean County Sheriff vehicles lined Massachusetts Avenue and Hope Crossing Road. Hope Crossing Road, which is also the entrance to the development, was closed to traffic.
The area remained an active crime scene past 1 a.m. Officers from the county criminal investigation unit, unmarked police vehicles and the Toms River Police K-9 unit continued to arrive at Hope’s Crossing as police tape fluttered from a neighborhood watch sign to a nearby fence.
Ocean County Prosecutors and Ocean County Sheriff’s Department is assisting with the investigation. Captain Steve Henry coordinated the police response and police are investigating if the shooting is gang related. Toms River Police request anyone with information to call Detective Marc Bajada at 349-0150-ext 1241.
No Name
7:01 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
Thanks for the whole story. The APP barely skimmed the facts and it wasn't a big headline. This type of crime is hitting far too close to home. I hope the TR police get the suspect.
MrCommonSense
1:19 pm on Friday, July 29, 2011
The APP has become so politically correct, that they won't post the race or skin color of the suspect if its a minority. Just another reason why the APP is a joke of a paper. In their story, they also describe Hope's Crossing as a "quiet neighborhood" I guess more political correctness on their part as everyone knows that place, like most low income housing projects, are a haven for crime, drugs and gangs.
1stcav
8:11 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
Bricktucky,Toms creek are all now part of the Bloods & Crips safe haven's...Do your deeds in the old haunt & sleep safe in your new haven...Till ya here, "who ya gonna call " Cops....and there at YOUR door !!!! Oh sheet...busted at my safe Crib.....
Rick Molinia
8:12 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
i drive by there on the way to wawa every morning before work.. i always see Little Kids playing outside.. a disgusting human being is responsible for this and must be taken off the streets forever.. makes me sick, **PATCH please update us when scumbag is found** curious if he or she is an _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A_ _ EN
who really knows
8:26 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
nothing new for Hopes
and as far as the office believes there are no gangs there.
BN
9:19 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
Bookmark this article. The next time someone brings up "affordable housing" you can remind them of why it's a bad idea.
who really knows
1:08 pm on Friday, July 29, 2011
Affordable housing It's not a bad idea. This crap happens in more places and just not in affordable housing areas. Their are many good people in that development. Its the mentality that certain minds that think being in a gang is cool or that when they are given the chance to move move from certain areas they can't break the bonds from that gang which followers them everywhere. It's like saying that everyone who lives in Lakewood is trash and they aren't there is good and bad people every where but unfortunately when something bad happens people tend to thrive on those happenings. We know its gang related and its truly a shame that this had happened. The police in Toms River knew from day one that there was gang activity going on there, It was brought up to the office many years ago. And as far as that police sub station its a total waste of a building when I lived in that area many years ago it was a home now its a parking lot for them to keep cars in.
BN
10:35 pm on Friday, July 29, 2011
There may be good people everywhere...but there is a higher concentration of bad ones in low income housing. This has got to stop.
Martin
9:43 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
On "Tolerance Court"... Oh, really?
Does the County Sheriff's Dept. have a gang-crime unit yet? It's time to start one and fund it, rather than million-dollar golf eqpt. washers for the Freeloaders' country-club set.
tessi smith
11:43 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
whats the victims name and where did he live in Silverton? Is his dad a cop? Why isnt the victims name listed?
Concerned Brick Citizen
4:45 pm on Friday, July 29, 2011
Who Really Knows and Martin are right. In 2007 there was a property Manager at Hopes Crossing who had extensive experience with the Federal Gang Force Unit in Trenton. This manager advised the Chief Mastronardy and the owners of Hopes Crossing of gang infiltration. They were told where the drug activities were taking place. Also, reports were given to the police department from tenant observations. The Chief said they were "gang member wanna bees". Upper management wanted everything silenced of course. Don't blame the office staff. They will be fired for speaking out. Hopes Crossing has had previous incidents. Unfortunately, the complex is too close to major roads for criminals to easily get away. At one time there was a discussion of careful placement of security cameras but I don't believe that ever was acted upon. The Police sub station needs to manned all of the time. Could be wrong but this was a budget issue too. The police are stretched too far for the kind of criminals they have to deal with. By the way, "they're here in Brick too!"
Doug Bennett
10:34 pm on Monday, August 1, 2011
Toms River is turning in to a slum town of nothing but scumbags and we can thank our seven lawyers on the township committee and Mayor Marine, Gilmore's bag boy, for it. They do nothing except take care of themselves and their friends. This town is turning into a cesspool under their watch. Can you think of any reasons why seven lawyers would want to take low paying township committee jobs. If you can't, I can. Seventh safest town in the country. If it is, we might as well all shoot ourselves because the bad guys won.
Just theFacts
9:54 am on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I don't know what Town you live in but Toms River hasn't had a Township committee since 2002. We also do not have seven lawyers, only one, we have a Dentist, a Builder, a Pharm.Exec, a Director of a Not for profit, a Fire Admin.,and a Chiropractor, and I am honored our Mayor is a retired Marine. Crime is up everywhere in NJ not just TR, as Clinton said its the economy stupid!