New Details Emerge In Shooting At Busy Hillsborough Shopping Center
HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — New details have emerged in the
Dawan Jeter, 19, Hillsborough, was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree endangering another person, announced Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.
The Affidavit of Probable Cause obtained by Patch details the circumstances surrounding the shooting and attempted murder on Tuesday.
- Related: Armed Shooting Suspect ID'd As 19-Year-Old Hillsborough Man: Prosecutor
On Tuesday, at around 1 p.m., Hillsborough Township Police went to the Chipotle parking lot at 649 Route 206, where they found five spent shell casings on the ground.
Witnesses told officers that shortly after the shots were fired, a black man ran across Route 206 towards the Hillsborough Village Center apartments.
Surveillance video from Bottle King, which is across the street from Chipotle, showed a black man riding a scooteer across Route 206 towards Chipotle before briefly disappearing from the camera's field of view.
The suspect, later identified as Jeter, who was wearing a white backpack, was then seen running towards the Hillsborough Village Center apartments. The scooter was found in the parking lot.
Another witness, who shared their vehicle dash camera video, told police that he saw the Jeter grab a handgun before firing several gunshots, according to police.
Officers found the 19-year-old victim a short time later, who was not at the shopping center. He reported that he saw Jeter try to shoot him multiple times.
According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause the victim was identified as Jeter's friend. A motive for the shooting was not revealed.
Jeter's address was in the Hillsborough Village Center apartments and was in the direction he was seen running toward.
A Superior Court Search Warrant was granted for his home. However, he was not inside.
Authorities were told that Jeter was on his way to the Hillsborough Police Department to turn himself in, said McDonald.
At around 5:45 p.m., Jeter surrendered to Hillsborough Police at Headquarters with the same backpack seen on the surveillance camera. The backpack was found inside of his vehicle, which took him to headquarters.
During the shooting and search for Jeter, authorities placed Hillsborough schools in a secure hold as a precaution and told local residents and businesses to use caution.
"It is critical to clarify that this incident did not occur on any school property or grounds but within the surrounding Township. Our immediate action was purely precautionary," said Superintendent Michael Volpe.
Anyone with information relating to this investigation to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office at 908-231-7100 or the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908-369-4313 or via the STOPit app.
Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and tips will be kept confidential.
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