Report: Recent Shootings in Camden May be Result of Dismantling of Drug Network

The break-up of a large-scale drug trafficking network that involved a Camden County Police Officer may have resulted in a criminal power vacuum that led to six shooting deaths in the last seven days in the City, Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson tells the Courier Post.

“There is always the potential, with a large scale takedown, of creating a power vacuum wherein gangs compete for ‘drug’ real estate,” Thomson told the newspaper.

While investigating this possibility, law enforcement officials have said they don’t believe the shootings are connected.

In October, 40 people were charged in connection with a drug trafficking network accused of distributing heroin and crack cocaine across the South Jersey suburbs, including towns in Camden, Atlantic, Burlington, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

Camden County Police Officer Ashley Bailey was among those charged, as she allegedly provided information to suspects being investigated.

The number of people who have been shot to death in Camden over the course of the last week reached six on Monday night, when Nelson Jackson, 37, of Camden, was shot to death on the 800 block of Haddon Avenue.

Daniel Damon, 21, of Camden, was fatally shot on the 700 block of Morgan Boulevard the same night.

Anyone with information on Jackson’s killing is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Mike Sutley at 856-614-8003 or Camden County Police Detective Mark Lee at 856-757-7420.

Anyone with information on Damon’s killing is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective John Hunsinger at 856-365-3239 or Camden County Police Detective Gordon Harvey at 856-757-7420.

Last Monday, 21-year-old Karen Ramirez was shot to death in Camden.

Gustavo Jimenez, 20, of Camden, surrendered to law enforcement officials in Pennsauken on Wednesday and was charged in connection with the murder.

Andrew L. Anderson, 24, was discovered by Camden County Police around 1:45 a.m. Tuesday morning after being shot multiple times. A Philadelphia man was shot in the same incident, and was in critical condition following the incident.

Anyone with information relating to that crime is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Sheron Kee at 856-225-8539 or Camden County Police Detective Randy Smith at 856-757-7420.

More shootings were reported on Sunday.

Armir Lee Thomas-Money, 24, of Camden, was shot at Front and Vine streets just before 4:40 a.m., and was pronounced dead just before 5:54 a.m.

Finally, Wesley L. Nelms, 20, was shot just before 6:30 a.m. on the porch of a residence in the 1100 block of Chase Street, and pronounced dead at 6:54 a.m.

Information for all shootings may also be emailed to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org or texted to CCTIP.