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Five men allegedly responsible for at least one murder and a separate mid-day shooting incident in Asbury Park this summer are charged with murder and/or weapons-related offenses, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced Wednesday morning at St. Stephen AME Zion Church, located 1001 Springwood Ave.

The church was the site of a community town hall held over a month ago to address the spate of gun violence incidents plaguing Neptune and Asbury Park. 

Gramiccioni has said two murders and another 13 shooting incidents resulted in serious bodily injuries. There were 15 confirmed shots-fired incidents and another 13 reports of shots-fired incidents that could not be substantiated. In total, law enforcement officers have seized 37 handguns and one semi-automatic AK-47 replica rifle.

“The violence this summer on the streets of Asbury Park and Neptune Township cannot be tolerated – law-abiding citizens of these communities cannot be forced to live in fear of these gun-toting criminals,” Gramiccioni said. “No one should live in fear to walk on public streets outside your home. Our office will track down these criminals, we will find them and get them off the streets where they do the most damage to families, friends and neighborhoods.”

In Asbury Park, 96 violent crime arrests were made by July’s end, according to the local police department data.

The latest arrests come just days after a Sunday evening shots fired incident in the area of Mattison and Atkins avenues, and another shooting early Monday morning on Prospect Avenue in Asbury Park. The latter incident left a 23-year-old male and a 51-year-old male, both of Asbury Park, with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a written statement by Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Spokesman Charlie Webster. 

The arrests include:

Prince Young, 22, of Myrtle Ave, in Asbury Park and Chyrod Freeman, 21, of Prospect Avenue in Asbury Park, who are facing charges of first-degree murder related to the June 14 shooting death of Jehadje J. McMillian along the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue in the city. Other charges include second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun. Freeman faces an additional count of the second degree certain persons not to possess weapons charge. Both men are being held in the Monmouth County Jail in Freehold, pending a first appearance court date.

Freeman is also facing the first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and first degree attempted murder charges in relation to the July 30 shooting incident along the 200 block of Elizabeth Avenue in Asbury Park. He’s also charged with second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and the second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons.

If convicted of murder, Young and Freeman each face a minimum 30 years to life sentence, subject to the ‘No Early Release Act’ [NERA], requiring 85 percent of a sentence be imposed prior to parole eligibility and a five-year-long parole supervision upon release. If convicted of the other first degree crimes, each man charged faces up to 20 years with NERA provisions.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Matthew Bogner and Ashley Behre.

Jaquan Allah, 25, of Second Avenue in Asbury Park is facing charges of first degree attempted murder for allegedly firing a handgun at Prince Young during the shooting incident that resulted in McMillian’s death. Allah’s additional charges include second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and the second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun charge. He is being held at Monmouth County Jail on separate charges, officials said.

Scimel Jackson, 28, of Jay Street in Lakewood, is charged with first-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and the second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons in relation to events preceding the McMillian homicide, officials said. He is being held in Monmouth County Jail while awaiting a detention hearing in Superior Court.

J’Keir Perry, 18, of Mattison Avenue in Asbury Park, is facing charges of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and first degree attempted murder in relation to the July 30 Elizabeth Avenue shooting incident in the city. His charges include second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and the second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun. Perry was arrested and charged Monday and is being held at Monmouth County Jail, officials said.

Officials said anyone wanting to give an anonymous tip related to a crime contact the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential tip-line at 1-800-671-4400, text ‘MONMOUTH’ and their tip to 274637, or send an email via monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com. The Monmouth County Crime Stoppers program pays up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of criminals and fugitives.

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