Wanted Man Is In Custody After Maplewood Shooting Last Week: Police

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood Police Chief James DeVaul said Thursday that police have arrested and charged a man whom they were seeking after a shooting in a Maplewood apartment last Wednesday.

Police had told residents that they believed the man could be "armed and dangerous."

Cranford Butler has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (handgun), possession of a handgun without a permit, possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, and theft of the victim's property, DeVaul said.

The gun has still not been recovered, DeVaul said.

DeVaul wrote Wednesday afternoon, "Cranford Butler, 67, of Irvington, voluntarily surrendered to detectives at Police Headquarters. He did not provide a statement or provide information related to the handgun involved to detectives on the advice of legal counsel. The handgun involved in this incident has not been recovered at this time."

He added, "Mr. Butler will be transported to the Essex County Correctional Faculty later this afternoon."

Police had announced last week that they were looking for Butler, but that they had impounded his car.

Police said that around 9:55 a.m. Wednesday, a person called them to report that a man who had possibly been shot was outside near Hughes and Jacoby streets in Maplewood.

Police found the man with a laceration, but not a gunshot injury or other life-threatening injuries.

Police determined that the man had been involved in an altercation with another man inside an apartment on Jacoby Street. During the altercation, police say, a .380 caliber handgun was fired in the apartment, but no one was struck.

"The incident was determined to be domestic in nature," police said. "The involved parties are known to each other. No other persons or the public was at risk."

The police said that they had executed an arrest warrant, in conjunction with the Essex County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team and the Irvington Police, at Butler's home, but didn't find him there.

Thursday, DeVaul said, "I want to personally thank our detectives for their great work by facilitating Mr. Butler’s peaceful surrender to police without further incident."

Anyone with further information should call detectives at 973-761-7913 or email MPALMEREZZI@TWP.MAPLEWOOD.NJ.US.

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