1 Arrested, Charged In Freehold Boro Apartment Shooting: MCPO

FREEHOLD – An Ocean Township man was arrested and charged for his role in a shooting that hospitalized two individuals at a Freehold Borough apartment complex last month, authorities said.

Joseph Lyons, 36, of Ocean Township, was arrested and charged with two counts of first
degree attempted murder, one count of second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and one count of second degree unlawful possession of weapon in connection with a March 30 shooting at the Continental apartment complex, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

At around 8:02 p.m. on March 30, Freehold Borough police responded to a 9-1-1 call at the Continental regarding a shooting incident. Officers discovered two male victims with gunshot wounds upon arrival. The victims were taken to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries and later released, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Freehold Borough Police subsequently revealed that Joseph Lyons was responsible for shooting both victims before fleeing the scene.

Lyons was taken into custody and transported - with the assistance of the United States Marshals Regional Task Force - to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution as he awaits his first appearance and a detention hearing.

If convicted of attempted murder, Lyons faces up to 20 years in state prison on each count, subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.

If convicted of the weapons offenses, Lyons faces up to 10 years in a New Jersey state prison,
with a mandatory minimum parole ineligibility of 42 months pursuant to the Graves Act.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Det. Daniel Newman with the
Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Freehold Borough Police Det.
Richard Schwerthoffer at (732) 462-1233.

Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can submit
a tip to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling their confidential telephone tip-line at 1-800-671-4400; or by downloading and using the free P3 Tips mobile app (available for iOS and Android - https://www.p3tips.com/community/index.htm).