Man Indicted In Atlantic Co. Dollar Store Shooting: Prosecutor

ABSECON, NJ — An Absecon man was indicted by a grand jury on three charges from the May 24, 2022 incident where he brandished a gun inside a Dollar General before firing it and then being shot by police, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Jalial Whitted, 38, was indicted on the following charges: unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and certain persons not to possess a firearm, Prosecutor William E. Reynolds said.

The indictment comes after charges against him in were dropped in June. Read More: Charges Dropped In Atlantic County Police-Involved Shooting: Report

If convicted, Whitted faces up to ten years in New Jersey State Prison as a result of his second-degree crimes, Reynolds said.

Video surveillance shows Whitted brandishing the gun inside the store, causing employees to flee, before discharging at least one round while inside, Reynolds said.

Footage previously released by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, assigned as an independent investigator in the police-involved shooting, shows Whitted on the day of the incident with a gun protruding from his pocket, not following police orders and saying "shoot me," touching his gun before being shot by police. Read More: 'Shoot Me': Video Released Of Pleasantville Officer-Involved Shooting

The investigation was a cooperative effort by the Absecon Police Department, Pleasantville Police Department and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.