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Kareen "Kai" Warner Jr., 19, of Bridgeton, was originally charged with weapons possession by authorities investigating the shooting of NJSP Detective Richard Hershey at the Harding Woods mobile home park in Pittsgrove the night before.
A new complaint was filed against Warner on Tuesday, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and NJSP Supt. Col. Patrick J. Callahan said.
A Superior Court judge later ordered that he remain held in the Salem County Jail in Woodstown pending trial. Previously charged with the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer were Najzeir “Naz” Hutchings, 21, and ex-con Tremaine M. Hadden, 27, both of Bridgeton.They, too, remained held Tuesday in the Salem County Jail pending detention hearings scheduled for Wednesday.
A judge ordered a fourth defendant, Colby Opperman, 18, also of Bridgeton, held pending trial on weapons charges.
“We are delivering on our promise to hold all perpetrators fully accountable for this cowardly ambush of a New Jersey State Trooper, who was gunned down while courageously investigating a violent crime in the midst of this pandemic,” Grewal said.
"Our police officers put their lives on the line each day to protect us," the attorney general said, "and we owe it to them to bring the full weight of the law to bear on anyone who would attempt to kill them.”
“Anyone willing to fire a gun at a law enforcement officer has no regard for law and order and no regard for human life," Callahan added. "We will follow the path of this investigation to the end, and we will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of the individuals who attempted to murder New Jersey State Trooper Detective Richard Hershey."
Hershey was investigating a home invasion by a group of women from earlier that day when a hostile group of men connected to them pulled up in a caravan of five vehicles and approached him the night of April 25, Grewal and Callahan said.
Hershey identified himself as a law enforcement officer, after which at least three men opened fire, wounding him in the upper leg, they said.The detective shot back, forcing the defendants to flee, they said.
He later underwent surgery at Cooper University Hospital in Camden and was recovering, authorities said.
A member of the caravan was treated at the hospital for a gunshot wound in her leg and was released, they said, adding that she wasn’t charged.
Eight defendants were initially identified and captured by New Jersey State Police Fugitive and TEAMS units, assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and the ATF.
Hershey was investigating a home invasion involving five women accused of forcing their way into a trailer and assaulting the owner – breaking a rib and lacerating a lung -- while stealing her iPhone.The Salem County Prosecutor’s Office charged the five women for the home invasion, while Grewal’s Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA) charged the three men in the shooting.
“We have zero tolerance for those who violently attack our law enforcement officers,” Grewal said. “Our state troopers put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, and [the April 25 shooting] is an important reminder of the brave work our troopers perform.”
“Anyone attempting to murder a New Jersey state trooper, or any member of law enforcement, will find no safe haven,” Calahan added. “Our pursuit will be relentless, unwavering and swift.”
It began with a 6:15 p.m. home invasion by the women, identified as Jazmin Valentin, 32, Yomari Lazu, 43, Iramari Lazu, 22, Mayra Roblero, 52, and Maria Betancourt, 39, of Vineland. READ MORE....
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