Somerset County Teen Arrested For Franklin Shooting

An 18-year-old Franklin Township man was arrested for the shooting of a 21-year-old resident along Martin Street on Saturday.

according to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office:

Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Timothy Fitzgerald and Franklin Township Chief of Police Lawrence Roberts announce the arrest of Lorenzo E. Hill, age 18, of Stothoff Street in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, New Jersey.

Prosecutor Soriano states that on Saturday, September 27, 2014, subsequent to hearing shots being fired, Franklin Township Patrols responded to a report of a man with a gun on Martin Street.

At approximately 11:11 p.m. responding officers discovered a 21 year old male victim who was suffering from a gunshot wound to his lower torso.

The victim was transported to a local hospital by emergency medical technicians for treatment of his non-life threatening injuries.

Detectives from the Franklin Township Police Department and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Squad responded to initiate the investigation. The investigation revealed that defendant Hill was responsible for shooting the victim with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver while on Hamilton Street.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s residence, and the search resulted in the seizure of the weapon which contained 4 empty casings and 2 live rounds in the revolver’s chamber.

Defendant Hill was lodged in the Somerset County Jail. Bail was set by the Honorable Robert Reed, J.S.C. at $75,000 cash only.

Defendant Hill was charged with Aggravated Assault, 2nd Degree, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, 2nd Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, 2nd Degree.

Prosecutor Soriano, Chief Fitzgerald and Chief Roberts request anyone with information pertaining to this incident to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100, the Franklin Township Police Department at 732- 873-2300, or the Somerset County Crime Stopper’s Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477).

Tips can also be place anonymously online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All crime stopper calls and emailed tips will be kept confidential.