FREEHOLD – Two men have been arrested in conjunction with a shooting that occurred Tuesday night in Asbury Park, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

At approximately 10:32 p.m. on June 2, 2020, the Asbury Park Police Department responded to shots fired in the area of 2 Atkins Avenue in Asbury Park – the Asbury Park Village housing complex. Upon arrival, officers found a 19 year-old male victim who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.  EMS transported the victim to a local hospital, where he remains in critical, but stable condition.

An investigation led officers to locating two men, Zyier Small, 18, of Neptune and Malik Carey, 19, of Neptune City, not far from the scene.

Small and Carey are charged with first degree Conspiracy to commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Handgun for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, third degree Hindering Apprehension, fourth degree Obstruction, and fourth degree Possession of a large capacity magazine.

Both defendants are being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) in Freehold Township pending individual detention hearings scheduled for June 10, 2020 before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon, J.S.C.

The case was resolved with the joint cooperation of members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Asbury Park Police Department’s Detective Bureau, as well as their Street Crimes and Patrol Units, the Neptune Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

If convicted of Conspiracy or Attempted Murder, Small and Carey face sentences of up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring them to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. They would also be under parole supervision for five years following their release from state prison.

If convicted of Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose or Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, each individual faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison subject to the provisions of the Graves Act, requiring them to serve a mandatory 42 months in state prison before becoming eligible for release on parole.

If convicted of Hindering Apprehension, each man faces three to five years in prison.  If convicted of either of the fourth degree crimes, each man faces up to 18 months in prison.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to call Detective Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Detective Dillon Gourley of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300.

Information can also be provided by calling 1-800-671-4400, visiting Monmouth County Crime Stoppers.com , or through the free “P3 Tips” mobile app available on the iOS and Android platforms. Call 911 or your local police department in the case of an emergency.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.

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