Alleged Route 33 Shooter Makes First Court Appearance

FREEHOLD, NJ -- The man accused of shooting and killing a Freehold woman in front of her family as she drove along the Route 33 bypass made his first court appearance on Saturday.

Kader Mustafa, 36, was formally presented with the charges against him in the fatal shooting of Sciasia Calhoun, 24, the Monmouth County prosecutor's office said Saturday afternoon.

Mustafa was arrested at 8:10 a.m. Friday in his car in Manalapan, eight hours after Calhoun was shot as she was exiting the Route 33 bypass onto Halls Mills Road, First Assistant Prosecutor Lori Linskey said Friday. Calhoun's boyfriend and 1-year-old child were in the car and were not physically injured, she said.

Mustafa is charged with murder, attempted murder, two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, presented by Assistant Prosecutor Carey Huff before Superior Court Judge James E. Berube.

The prosecutor’s office also filed a motion to keep Mustafa behind bars without an opportunity for release pending trial, a motion that will be heard at his detention hearing that is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9, authorities said. Superior Court Judge David Bauman is scheduled to preside over that hearing, the prosecutor's office said. (RELATED: Man Charged In Fatal Route 33 Shooting May Be Tied To 2 Others)

Two handguns — a .40-caliber semi-automatic and a .38-caliber revolver — were recovered from Mustafa during the arrest, Linskey said. Investigators are awaiting the results of ballistics tests to determine whether Mustafa also is connected to two shootings that occurred last weekend, one in Neptune on April 27, and one in Holmdel on April 28, where vehicles were shot but their occupants were not injured, she said.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Detective Andrea Tozzi of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Jamie Burdge of the Freehold Township Police Department at 732-462-7500.

Anonymous tips can be given to the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400. Anonymous tips also can be sent by texting "MONMOUTH" plus the tip to 274637.

Tips also can be sent in the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com. Monmouth County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest or conviction of criminals and fugitives.

Kader Mustafa photo via Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office