South Jersey man police shot in parking lot fired gun inside store minutes earlier
ABSECON – A local man who police shot outside a Dollar General store here on Tuesday morning reportedly fired a weapon inside that store minutes earlier, according to a preliminary investigation.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office in a statement on Wednesday identified the defendant as 37-year-old Jalial Whitted.
A criminal complaint and affidavit filed in the case states that Whitted "began telling police, 'Shoot me,'" before reaching for a pistol in his front pocket. He then was shot multiple times by officers, county Detective William Hess states in the affidavit.
The affidavit also describes a confrontation, before police were called, between Whitted and the owner of a car in the parking lot.
The Prosecutor's Office said Whitted is in custody. He is in stable condition after treatment at AtlantiCare Medical City Campus Trauma Center.
A statement from the office says Whitted is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon; possession of a weapon by certain persons not to have weapons; and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The filing of criminal charges is not proof of guilt.
Police from Absecon and Pleasantville responded at 9:35 a.m. Tuesday to the store, on the 700 block of South New Road, based on a report to 911 of an armed man inside the building. Police found Whitted inside and ordered him to exit.
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The office statement says Whitted was shot at approximately 9:40 a.m.
“A loaded firearm was recovered from the suspect by police at the scene,” the statement adds. “A subsequent review of store video surveillance revealed that Whitted produced a firearm in the presence of store employees, causing the employees to flee the store and, while still in the store, Whitted discharged at least one round.”
The affidavit states that store surveillance video shows Whitted, entered a car in the parking lot before going into the store.
"The car owner returned to their vehicle and pulled Whitted out of the driver's seat," the affidavit states. "Whitted then entered the store and produced a firearm in front of store employees. The employees exited the store and called the police.
"Whitted was then observed on camera firing the gun at a support beam near the front of the store," it states. "A female customer then entered the store, at which time Whitted told her to call the police."
The office said names of police officers involved in the case are not being released immediately, and that the investigation remains active. The office is investigating the incident in line with guidelines from the state Attorney General’s Office.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (609) 909-7800 or, after hours, (609) 909-7200.
Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.
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This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Absecon NJ man shot by police faces weapons charges
