On Saturday, September 3, 2016, at 2:34 a.m., two uniformed Atlantic City police officers on patrol observed a robbery in progress being committed near the Caesars Atlantic City parking garage on Arkansas Avenue.
The officers observed a group of 6 males. As one Atlantic City police officer exited the vehicle the officer was shot and injured. The second police officer returned fire, hitting one suspect, who fled the scene. All other persons involved in the robbery also fled the scene in different directions. The suspect who had been shot was located approximately 11⁄2 blocks away, on Missouri and Pacific Avenues, collapsed and deceased.
The police officer was treated at the scene by responding emergency medical personnel, and transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—City Division, in critical condition.
All 5 persons of interest sought by law enforcement were located and identified.
The investigation revealed that 3 of the men had been victims of an armed robbery committed by the other three men: the deceased man, and two others. The 3 robbery victims cooperated with police, and were released, no longer detained for investigation by police.
The 3 suspects were identified. The deceased man was identified as Jerome Damon, 25, of Camden, NJ. Jerome Damon’s next-of-kin were notified.
New Jersey State Police arrested the other two suspects later the same day, arresting Martel D. Chisholm, now 30, of Bayview Avenue, Pleasantville, NJ, and arresting Demetris Cross, 28, of Burlington Road, Bridgeton, NJ. Both men were located and arrested without incident in Bridgeton, NJ, and the men were transferred to the custody of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Chisolm and Cross were processed for the arrests by Detectives of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, and were charged with 2 counts of Attempted Murder (of the two police officers), Robbery, Conspiracy, and Weapons charges.
Both men were lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $750,000 full cash / no 10% bail set by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury Jr., where they remain.
These charges are pending grand jury, and are an accusation and not proof of guilt. In all criminal cases, a charged defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office investigated the police-involved shooting, as mandated by New Jersey Attorney General Directive, and today, Wednesday, January 25, 2017, Acting Prosecutor Diane Ruberton presented the case to an Atlantic County Grand Jury.
The Grand Jury declined to indict the police officer for his/her actions.
In compliance with the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Directive regarding uniform statewide procedures and best practices for conducting police-use-of-force investigations, Atlantic County Acting Prosecutor Diane M. Ruberton has reviewed the entire matter and issues the following public statement of the findings regarding the September 3, 2016 shooting.
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