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Prosecutor: Three Central Jersey 'Rivals' Charged In Separate Asbury Park Shootings

Three men from Monmouth County have been arrested in connection with a pair of shootings 10 months ago in Asbury Park, authorities said.

Monmouth County Jail

Monmouth County Jail

Photo Credit: Monmouth County Sheriff's Office

As part of "a clash between rivals," one of the men was involved in both shootings, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

Antonio Pabon, 26, of Freehold, faces two counts each of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, first degree-attempted murder, and multiple second-degree firearms/weapons charges, the prosecutor said.

Pabon's charges are related to a Dec. 2, 2019 shooting in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue and a Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue, according to Gramiccioni.

Izais Normil, 24, of Neptune Township, faces charges of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree attempted murder, and multiple second-degree firearms/weapons charges for the Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue, Gramiccioni said.

Ja’air Butler, 24, of Asbury Park, faces charges of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree attempted murder, and multiple second-degree firearms/weapons charges, Gramiccioni said, also for the Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue.

All three had their first court appearance on Thursday before Presiding Judge James M. Newman, and were being held at the Monmouth County Jail.

At 1:26 a.m. on Dec. 2, 2019, Asbury Park police responded to a 9-1-1 call about multiple shots fired in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue, and a separate report of a victim of a gunshot wound at a nearby Washington Avenue residence.

Patrol officers found a 24-year-old man with a single gunshot wound to his upper left arm. He was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City to treat a non-life-threatening injury, the prosecutor said.

Further investigation by the prosecutor's office and Asbury Park police found that multiple shooters had ambushed the victim as he exited the residence on Washington Avenue, according to the prosecutor.

Two days later, about 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2019, police responded to a report of gunfire in the 1300 block of Mattison Avenue. Patrol officers found multiple shell casings fired from multiple handguns at the intersection of Borden and Mattison avenues, Gramiccioni said.

Investigators concluded that the second shooting "was the culmination of a rolling vehicle dispute" that started near Atkins Avenue Deli before winding its way through Asbury Park, Gramiccioni said, adding that multiple shooters fired shots into a vehicle at the intersection of Mattison and Borden avenues, 

On Dec. 5, Asbury Park patrol officers spotted a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved in the Mattison Avenue shooting, Gramiccioni said. The officers found two loaded handguns in the vehicle, he said.

Pabon, Butler and Normil were charged that day with weapons possession and taken to Monmouth County Jail in Freehold Township, according to Gramiccioni.

The case is being handled by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to call Detectives Patrick Petruzziello or John Sosdian of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detectives Lemar Whittaker or Cynthia Yost of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300

Anyone who wants to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400 or, they can post their tip at https://www.p3tips.com/1182

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