Two Men Shot, Two Arrested In Franklin: Prosecutor

FRANKLIN, NJ — Authorities are investigating the possible connection of two men, who were reportedly shot, and two men who were arrested in Franklin on gun and drug charges.

On Tuesday at around 7:48 p.m., a 9-1-1 call reported that two men had been shot while in the area of Winston Drive in Franklin. Police responded but couldn't find anyone, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson announced.

About 10 minutes later, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - New Brunswick reported two gunshot victims had just arrived at the hospital’s emergency room.

Authorities discovered that a man described as wearing a dark colored ski mask and a dark colored jacket approached a parked vehicle on Winston Drive, which was occupied by Franklin residents, ages 23 and 24, according to Robertson.

Following a brief conversation, the unknown man fired a gun at the car causing both victims to receive non-life threatening injuries, according to Robertson.

At around 11:21 p.m. that same night, the Franklin Township Police received a call from a resident reporting that two men were behind the Pine Grove School and were waving a gun around.

Franklin patrol units arrived and saw the two men run away. A search of the area found two handguns, police report.

One of the men, Kaseem Stewart-Hunt, 20, of Franklin Court, in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, was found and arrested. The second man, identified as Yulem Robles, 24, of Hale Street, in New Brunswick, who fled the area was later seen by police inside Stewart-Hunts home, Robertson said.

Robles was taken into custody on an outstanding municipal warrant.

A search of Stewart-Hunts' residence found about 47 grams of heroin and 400 grams of marijuana, according to the report.

Detectives from the Franklin Township Police Department and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit are continuing to investigate both incidents to determine if the two are related, Robertson said.

Stewart-Hunt was charged with second degree unlawful possession of a handgun, fourth degree possession of a defaced firearm, fourth degree possession of hollow point bullets, fourth degree obstruction of the administration of law, second degree possession of a handgun without a permit, one count second degree and one count third degree possession with intent to distribute narcotics and third degree possession with intent to distribute narcotics in a school zone.

Stewart-Hunt was lodged in the Somerset County Jail without bail pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with information regarding this shooting is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100, the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533, or via the STOPit app by downloading STOPit to your smart phone at Google Play or the Apple Store and enter the access code SOMERSETNJ.

Or contact the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888- 577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.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: Kaseem Stewart-Hunt, 20, of Franklin Court, in the Somerset section of Franklin Township.)

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