Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office
ABSECON- On Tuesday, May 24 at 9:35 a.m., police officers from Absecon and Pleasantville Police Departments responded to the General Dollar Store in the 700-block of New Roadnmfor a man armed with a gun inside the store.
The suspect, Jalial Whitted, 37, of Absecon was located inside the store and police ordered him to exit the store. Once outside the store, Whitted refused police officer commands and reached for a weapon that was located in his front pocket. At approximately 9:40 a.m., the suspect was shot by law enforcement during an attempt to apprehend him. Police recovered a loaded firearm from the suspect at the scene.
A subsequent review of store video surveillance revealed that Whitted produced a firearm in the presence of store employees, causing the employees to flee the store, and while still in the store, Whitted discharged at least one round.
The injured suspect was taken into police custody, provided medical care and transported to AtlantiCare Medical, City Campus Trauma Center for his injuries. The suspect remains in police custody and is currently listed in stable condition.
Whitted remains in police custody and is criminally charged with unlawful possession of a weapon,, possession of a weapon by certain persons not to have weapons, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The names and any identifiable information of the police officers involved in the investigation are not being released at this time.
New Jersey Attorney General Guidelines, the Division of Criminal Justice was notified. The DCJ has designated the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit as the independent investigative unit for the shooting with the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability acting as the independent supervisory reviewer.
This is an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7800 or after hours 609-909-7200.
Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at https://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page.
People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.
