4 Teens Arrested In Fatal New Year's Eve Shooting In Franklin

FRANKLIN, NJ — Four Franklin Township teens were charged following the fatal New Year's Eve shooting of a 19-year-old from Somerset. Along with this homicide, authorities are continuing to investigate three separate shootings on Dec. 30 and 31. It is unclear if the three shootings are related.

On Monday at around 4:40 a.m. a 911 call reported multiple shots fired at a home on Barker Road in Franklin Township, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.

Numerous spent shell casings were found by Franklin Police outside on the street along with damage to the home, Robertson said.

A resident was inside the house at the time of the shooting but was not injured by the gunfire.

The gunshots were caught on a neighbor's Ring.com camera - Gunshots Heard On Video: 3 Shootings, 1 Death In Somerset.

The next day on Dec. 31 at around 2:27 a.m. multiple 911 calls reported shots fired into a home on King Road where a 70-year-old man had been shot in the leg, Robertson said.

Numerous spent shell casings were found outside on the street along with damage to the home. The resident was taken to an area trauma center for emergency medical treatment for his non-life threatening gunshot wound to the leg and has since been released from the hospital.

Later that day at around 3:25 p.m. a 911 call reported multiple shots fired in the area of Churchill Avenue. When police arrived they found Samaad Frazier, 19, of Jill Court, Somerset Section of Franklin Township inside a car on Churchill Avenue near the back of a home, Robertson said.

Frazier was taken to an area trauma center where he later died from his injuries and was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be performed by the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause and manner of death, Robertson said.

Police reportedly saw a vehicle speeding away from the scene on Hamilton Street and Berry Street. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, it sped away causing a car chase before it crashed at the intersection of Easton Avenue and Oakland Avenue.

The five people inside the vehicle ran away on foot in different directions with police following them. Gavin M. Owens-Jones, 18, of Barker Road, Franklin Township was caught by police and was armed with a semi-automatic handgun, Robertson said.

Owens-Jones dropped his weapon and was arrested. Jeffrey J. Grant Jr., 19, of Culver Street, Somerset and a 16-year-old Somerset male juvenile identified as I.S. were also caught by police.

On Jan. 2, 2020 a 16-year-old Somerset male juvenile identified as T.H. also turned himself into police. The fifth suspect remains at large.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances, motive and if all three shootings are related.

Owens-Jones was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree eluding by flight.

Grant was charged with first-degree murder, and fourth-degree eluding by flight. Owens-Jones and Grant were taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a bail detention hearing.

Juvenile I.S. was charged with fourth-degree eluding and released to a family member pending a family court appearance. Juvenile T.H. was charged with first-degree murder and lodged at the Middlesex County Youth Detention Center pending a family court appearance.

Along with the Franklin Township Police and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Brunswick Police Department, Rutgers Police Department, Bound Brook Police Department K-9 Unit, and the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit also helped.

Anyone with information relating to these shootings or the homicide to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line
at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be
kept confidential.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

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