At least one masked man shot a parent to death following a youth football practice at a South Jersey school Thursday night, then fired on police while fleeing the area.

The shooting occurred around 8:15 p.m. in the parking lot at Lakeside Middle School in Millville, according to the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.

The victim was identified as Joseph L. Jones, 37, of Millville. He was apparently shot while in or near his car.

He had been there to watch his son practice, football league officials confirmed.

Investigators believe Jones was targeted, but offered no motive for the killing.

"All investigative leads gathered thus far lead investigators to believe that this was a targeted attack against the victim," the prosecutor's office reported.

There may have been more than one assailant.

"It has been reported that masked individual(s) involved in the homicide fled the scene in what has been described as a maroon-colored sedan," officials said.

A small memorial sits near the scene where Joseph L. Jones was murdered outside Lakeside Middle School in Millville. (Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Media)

Following the shooting, the suspect, or suspects, were spotted on northbound Route 55 near Garden Road in Vineland, where they fired several shots at a police officer.

No officers returned fire and no injuries were reported. The suspects remain at large. The school is located less than two miles from a Route 55 interchange.

The shooting occurred as the Millville Midget Football League practice was wrapping up at the school.

Jenna Ackley was walking to her car with her 9-year-old son when she heard about a dozen rapid-fire shots.

"My son went running for the car," Ackley said. "He's crying in the backseat saying, 'I don't want to die.' It was surreal."

Everyone began running for cover as the shots rang out, Ackley said, including kids, a pregnant mom and parents pushing strollers.

While members of the Millville Midget Football community recalled the victim as "Coach Jones," he was not a current volunteer with the organization, explained league president Rob Ennis Sr.

Jones was known for coaching various youth sports around Millville, Ennis said.

Yvonne Mitchell, the parent of another Millville Midget Football League player, recalled Jones as a great mentor to her son. In fact, it was while he was coaching her child that they learned they were cousins.

Jones took the time to teach her son about the game and to instill positive messages about being an upstanding young man, she said.

"He was a great coach, mentor and friend."

Ackley said she is alarmed by the level of violence in Millville.

"You're not safe in this town anymore," she said. "It's just like living in a war zone."

Her son is reluctant to return for the next football practice. "He doesn't want to go back and I don't blame him," Ackley said.

Mitchell and her son were not there Thursday night, but she shared those same concerns.

"I want to know, is it safe to take our kids out there?" she asked.

The prosecutor's office has reached out to the league to offer crisis intervention services for the students affected by the shooting.

Like everyone else touched by the incident, Ennis is shocked and looking for answers.

"To have something like that happen in this town ... I'm just at a loss for words," he said. "It's very tragic."

Ennis said he is suspending league operations for now while he speaks with city leaders about ensuring kids, parents and coaches can safely gather again.

"Our number one objective is to keep children safe," he said, "to bring kids off the street and save them from this kind of environment. If we can't do that, then we can't exist."

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Lt. George Chopek at the prosecutor's office at 609-381-2046. Tips can also be shared anonymously by texting CCPOTIP to 847411.

RIP Coach Jones! Please keep his family, friends and his players in your thoughts and prayers!😢💔 🏈 Posted by Millville Midget Football League on Friday, August 10, 2018

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.