Three facing charges for pair of shootings in December

FREEHOLD – Three men are facing charges related to two separate shootings in Asbury Park, as
part of a clash between rivals back in December. One of the men was involved in both shootings,
announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Antonio Pabon, 26, of Jackson Street in Freehold, is charged in both shootings. Pabon is facing
two counts each of first degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second
degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Unlawful Possession of a
Weapon, and one count of second degree Possession of a Community Firearm. The charges are
related to a Dec. 2, 2019 shooting in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue and a Dec. 4, 2019
shooting on Mattison Avenue.

Izais Normil, 24, of 8th Avenue in Neptune Township, is facing charges of first degree Conspiracy
to Commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Firearm for an
Unlawful Purpose, second degree Possession of a Community Firearm, and second degree Unlawful
Possession of a Weapon for the Dec. 4, 2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue.
Ja’air Butler, 24, of Sunset Avenue in Asbury Park, is facing charges of first degree Conspiracy to
Commit Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Firearm for an
Unlawful Purpose, second degree Possession of a Community Firearm, second degree Unlawful
Possession of a Weapon, and second degree Certain Persons not to Possess Weapons for the Dec. 4,
2019 shooting on Mattison Avenue.

If convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Murder or Attempted Murder, all three men face a sentence
of up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison on each count, subject to the provisions of the No Early
Release Act requiring each of them to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming
eligible for release on parole. They would each also be under parole supervision for five years
following their release from prison.

If convicted of the second degree weapons offenses, each man faces a sentence of up to ten years
in prison with a period of up to three years that must be served prior to becoming eligible for parole.
The charges stem from a pair of shooting incidents in December 2019. The first occurred at
approximately 1:26 a.m. on December 2. The Asbury Park Police Department (APPD) responded to a
911 call reporting multiple shots fired in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue, and a separate report
of a victim of a gunshot wound at a nearby Washington Avenue residence.

Upon arrival, officers located a 24-year-old male victim with a single gunshot wound to his upper
left arm. The victim was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) for
treatment of a non-life-threatening injury.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) and APPD revealed
that the victim was leaving a residence in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue when he heard
several gunshots and was struck in the arm. The victim ran to a nearby Washington Avenue residence
where he asked the resident to call 911. The APPD and Asbury Park Fire Department First Aid arrived
on scene a short time later and he was transported to JSUMC. Further investigation uncovered
evidence that multiple shooters ambushed the victim as he exited the residence on Washington
Avenue.

Two days later, the APPD responded to a 911 call at about 9:15 p.m. on December 4, reporting
shots fired in the 1300 block of Mattison Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located multiple shell casings
fired from multiple handguns at the intersection of Borden and Mattison avenues.

Once again, a joint investigation by MCPO and APPD revealed the shooting was the culmination
of a rolling vehicle dispute that started in the area of the Atkins Avenue Deli and winding its way
through Asbury Park before multiple shooters fired shots into a vehicle at the intersection of Mattison
and Borden avenues.

The following day, at about 4:20 p.m. on December 5, APPD officers were traveling east on the
1100 block of Adams Street, when they observed a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle
involved in the Mattison Avenue shooting and conducted a stop of the vehicle. Subsequent to an
investigation, officers located two loaded handguns in the vehicle. As a result, Pabon, Butler and
Normil were charged that day with weapons possession and transported to the Monmouth County
Correctional Institution (MCCI) in Freehold Township.

Pabon, Normil and Butler each had their first appearances before the Honorable James M.
Newman, P.J.M.C. All three men remained detained at MCCI.

Despite the arrests, the investigation into both shootings remains active and ongoing. Anyone
with information about this case is asked to call Detectives Patrick Petruzziello or John Sosdian of
the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detectives Lemar Whittaker or
Cynthia Yost of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300. Anyone who feels the need
to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime
Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; or, they can post their tip at
https://www.p3tips.com/1182

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner, of the
Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Asbury Park Satellite Office.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights
guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.