E-Paper
Ocean County Mall: Shooting reported at Hooper Ave, Toms River; first details
A shooting was reported at Ocean County Mall at 1201 Hooper Ave, Toms River, New Jersey on Wednesday, with reports indicating that a 17-year-old had been shot.
A shooting was reported at Ocean County Mall at 1201 Hooper Ave, Toms River, New Jersey on Wednesday, with reports indicating that a 17-year-old had been shot. Several scanner reports indicated that the shooting incident had taken place near Applebee's at the mall.
“Reports of a 17-year-old shot in the area of the Ocean County Mall near Applebee’s,” a scanner report read. It noted that there was heavy police presence in the area.
A local report indicated the suspect is a ‘Black male wearing a hoodie and jeans’ and is believed to have fled in a grey sedan. Further details were added in scanner reports. One report claimed that a BB Gun was used. Meanwhile, a scanner report indicated that the vehicle might have been Grey or silver Mercedes-Benz and could have been intended to be a getaway vehicle. This was reportedly seen heading towards Route 37. HT.com could not independently verify this information.
The Toms River Police Department is yet to officially issue a statement on the incident. As per the social media page of Ocean County Mall, it is closed at the time of writing.
Ocean County Mall: Shooting report sparks fears
Several people reacted to the news of the shooting reports at the New Jersey mall. “Wth… is anywhere safe in this world anymore??,” one person asked. Another chipped in, saying “My friends and I just left there an hour ago omg!!.”
Also Read | Bastrop: Police say ‘suspect in custody’ as mass shooting is averted near Hunters Crossing Home Depot
Yet another added “NOBODY SHOULD BE CARRYING A GUN EXCEPT LAW ENFORCEMENT!! End of story!!”.
A local news page shared the scanner call indicating law enforcement response in the area.
“Emergency crews are on scene between Ocean County Mall and Applebee’s for a 17-year-old male shot in the face,” they noted.
One person shared a photo showing a lot of police cars present.
Meanwhile, an individual who claimed to be at the scene recounted how things went down. “My bf and I just left Applebees literally saw cops running in with riffles. When we left we over heard the cop and emt talking that they think it was a BB gun with surface wound to the chin,” they wrote on the Meta-owned platform.
Another person who said they were at Applebee's added “We just left Applebees and was wondering wtf was going on!!! Heavy police…..”. A third said “The mall is full of police and ambulance.”
One person lamented about the law and order situation in Toms River and commented “Prayers for all! RIP Toms River. Use to be a nice place.”
