3 Indicted In Drive-By Shooting At Toms River Apartment

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Three men have been indicted in a drive-by shooting in January at a Toms River apartment where an adult and two children were inside, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Lyjhahn Cromartie, 19, of Lakehurst, Shazir Vallade, 20, of Lakewood, and Javir Askew-Mayweather, 21, of Manchester, were each indicted May 8 by an Ocean County grand jury on three counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting that happened Jan. 13, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Vallade additionally was indicted on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a high-capacity ammunition magazine in connection with the shooting, Billhimer said.

Toms River police were called to Justice Court in Hopes Crossing about 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 13 for a report of shots fired and investigators determined three men had fired gunshots into a residence where an adult and two children were present, authorities said.

The investigation determined Askew-Mayweather was one of the three men responsible for firing the shots and he was charged on Feb. 3, authorities said. A warrant was issued for his arrest and his name was entered into the National Crime Information Center database, and on Feb. 4 he was arrested in Atlantic City by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, the prosecutor's office said.

Cromartie and Vallade were identified later as the other two men and were charged on Feb. 27. On Feb. 28, Cromartie was arrested without incident at his home by the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team and taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he has been held since.

Vallade also was arrested Feb. 28, at his place of employment in Berkeley Township, and taken to the Ocean County Jail. He was subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, prosecutors said.