Somerset Man Charged In Shooting, Attempted Murder In Township

SOMERSET, NJ — A Somerset man was identified and charged in a shooting that left a South Brunswick man critically injured on June 23.

Christopher Williams, 21, of Reler Lane, of Somerset was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, and fourth-degree possession of a defaced handgun, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson announced.

• See Related: Somerset Shooting Critically Injures Man, Under Investigation

A 911 call reported the shooting in the area of Buildings 26 and 28 on Reler Lane in the Somerset section of Franklin Township.

A 23-year-old resident of South Brunswick, who had been originally thought to be from Somerset, reportedly went up to a vehicle and was shot by the driver, later identified as Williams, after an argument ensued, according to an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit and Franklin Township Police Department Detective Bureau.

Williams was later arrested on June 28 at around 8:15 a.m. following a search of his home. During the search detectives found a handgun, Robertson said.

Williams was subsequently lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with information should 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) or online at 888577tips.org or at scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

(Image via Somerset County Prosecutor's Office: Christopher Williams, 21, of Reler Lane, Somerset)

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