Suspect arrested in Camden County Police Department shooting; 2 others at large

Phaedra Trethan | The Courier-Post

Show Caption Hide Caption Video: Manhunt for 'maniacs' Three suspects, described as 'homicidal maniacs,' are wanted for the shooting of two Camden County Police detectives

CAMDEN — One of the three men suspected of shooting at two Camden County police detectives in what Chief Scott Thomson called a "completely unprovoked" attack has been arrested.

Juan Figueroa, 20, of Philadelphia was arrested Saturday night in Gloucester City "without incident," the county police department said in a statement, "with the help of our law enforcement partners and the community."

A manhunt continues for two other suspects charged in the shooting, Ammar Hall, 26, and Alexander DeJesus, 19, both of Camden. Police consider them armed and dangerous.

Police said two shooters with semiautomatic handguns fired on two plainclothes detectives, one male and one female, as they sat in an unmarked car at a red light at Broadway and Walnut Street around 8:28 p.m. Aug. 7.

Investigators said two suspects got out of a white 2006 Chevrolet Uplander and shot 25 rounds at the officers within seven seconds, Thomson said. The male officer was able to return fire. The suspects returned to their minivan and fled down Spruce Street, according to witnesses.

The suspects were captured on video surveillance, and investigators tracked the van's trajectory, recovering it in South Camden. A forensic analysis of phone numbers belonging to Hall and DeJesus placed them near Broadway and Walnut at the time of the shooting, investigators said.

Both officers suffered gunshot wounds and were later released from Cooper University Hospital.

In a news conference Friday, Thomson called the three suspects "homicidal maniacs" and said, "these folks do not need to be walking the streets of society right now."

All three suspects face charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and other offenses.

The motive for the shooting “is still open for speculation,” Thomson said Friday, noting investigators had “some working hypotheses.”

“But what is absolutely clear to all of us was their intent to kill whoever was in that vehicle,” said Thomson, who has characterized the close-range attack as “completely unprovoked.”

Thomson said the suspects were known to each one another and had criminal records. He declined to say whether they were known to the detectives.

Juan Figueroa CAPTURED! He is one of the three suspects who attempted to murder 2 police dets last week. We are closing in on Hall and Dejesus and won’t sleep until they are in cuffs. Please keep RT and posting, community’s help has been invaluable. pic.twitter.com/R2ynFHTDiD — Camden County Police (@CamdenCountyPD) August 18, 2018

A $60,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the men’s arrest and convictions.

"We encourage both suspects to turn themselves in peacefully," police said in a Twitter post Saturday night.

Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to call Camden County Police detectives Frank Cardoso at 609-519-8598 or Brian Caffarelli at 609-519-8235, or Camden County Prosecutor's Detective Matt McKeown at 609-820-7192. Camden County Police also have an anonymous tip line at 856-757-7042.

Phaedra Trethan: @CP_Phaedra; 856-486-2417; ptrethan@gannettnj.com

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