HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — New details have emerged in the shooting at the busy Hillsborough Centre shopping center off Route 206 that prompted five schools to lockdown as a precaution on Tuesday.
According to authorities, Dawan Jeter, 19, of Hillsborough, is facing attempted murder and related charges after authorities said he shot at someone in the parking lot of the shopping center. A motive for the shooting was not revealed.
The Affidavit of Probable Cause obtained by Patch details the circumstances surrounding the shooting and alleged attempted murder on Tuesday. The victim, who was not injured, was identified as Jeter’s friend.
At around 1 p.m., Hillsborough Township Police were called to the Chipotle parking lot at 649 Route 206, where they found five spent shell casings on the ground. Witnesses told officers that shortly after the shots were fired, a man ran across Route 206.
According to police, surveillance video from Bottle King, which is across the street from Chipotle, showed a man riding a scooter across Route 206 towards Chipotle before briefly disappearing from the camera’s field of view.
The suspect, later identified as Jeter, was described as a black man who was wearing a white backpack and was seen running towards the Hillsborough Village Center apartments. Police said he lives in that apartment complex.
The scooter was found in the parking lot.
Another witness, who shared their vehicle dash camera video, told police that he saw Jeter grab a handgun before firing several gunshots, according to police.
Officers found the 19-year-old victim a short time later. The victim told police that he saw Jeter try to shoot him multiple times.
After obtaining a search warrant, police searched Jeter’s home but he was not inside. At around 5:45 p.m., Jeter surrendered to Hillsborough Police at Headquarters with the same backpack seen on the surveillance camera.
During the search for Jeter, authorities placed Hillsborough schools in a secure hold as a precaution and told local residents and businesses to use caution.
“It is critical to clarify that this incident did not occur on any school property or grounds but within the surrounding Township. Our immediate action was purely precautionary,” said Superintendent Michael Volpe.
Jeter was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree endangering another person.
Anyone with information relating to the investigation to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office at 908-231-7100 or the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908-369-4313 or via the STOPit app.
Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and tips will be kept confidential.
