Authorities: 3rd man charged in shooting of NJ state police detective

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From: New Jersey Attorney General's Office

TRENTON,N.J. - Authorities say a third man has been charged with attempted murder in a shooting that wounded a New Jersey state police detective investigating reports of a home invasion robbery last month.

New Jersey State Police Detective Richard Hershey was shot last month while investigating an assault case.

State and local authorities earlier said five women ranging in age from 22 to 52 forced their way into a residence in a mobile home park in Pittsgrove on April 25 and assaulted a woman.

Authorities allege that a group later confronted the detective investigating the case and three men opened fire from two vehicles, wounding him.

Hershey identified himself as law enforcement and ordered the occupants of those vehicles to leave. As one of the vehicles drove off, authorities say one of the occupants shot Det. Hershey in the leg, and he returned fire.

A woman was wounded when he returned fire during the shooting.

The following three men who allegedly fired upon Detective Hershey were arrested and charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault on a police officer, and second-degree weapons offenses:

— Najzeir “Naz” Hutchings, 21, of Bridgeton, N.J.,
— Tremaine M. Hadden, 27, of Bridgeton, N.J.,
— Kareen "Kai" Warner Jr., 19, of Bridgeton, N.J.

"We made a promise to our citizens and fellow law enforcement officers that we would apprehend every last member of the cowardly mob that nearly killed Detective Richard Hershey, and I am pleased to announce today that we are making good on that promise,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “We will not rest until every suspect is brought to justice and held accountable for their actions.”

Altogether, 19 people were arrested as an alleged part part of a five-car caravan that went to the Harding Woods mobile home park in Pittsgrove intending to attack and injure a resident there and damage her home.

New Jersey officials say members of the caravan – including additional defendants charged previously – were armed with at least two handguns, one knife, and one bottle, and at least three fired upon Detective Richard Hershey.

Hershey has since been released from the hospital.

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