Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on May 8, 2024, Lyjhahn Cromartie, 19, of Lakehurst, Shazir Vallade, 20, of Lakewood, and Javir Askew-Mayweather, 21, of Manchester, were each indicted by a Grand Jury sitting in Ocean County on three counts of Attempted Murder in connection with an incident that occurred on January 13, 2025, in Toms River. Additionally, Vallade was also indicted on charges of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a High Capacity Ammunition magazine relative to the same incident.
On January 13, 2025, at approximately 1:55 a.m., Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to the area of Justice Court in Hopes Crossing for a report of shots fired. Investigation by responding Officers determined that three males had fired gunshots into a residence; an adult and two children were present in the residence at the time of the shooting.
Subsequent investigation by the Toms River Township Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, revealed that Askew-Mayweather was one of the individuals responsible for firing the shots into the residence. On February 3, 2025, Askew-Mayweather was charged with three counts of Attempted Murder; a warrant was issued for his arrest, and his name was entered into the National Crime Information Center database. On February 4, 2025, Askew-Mayweather was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in Atlantic City. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Further investigation by the aforementioned agencies identified Cromartie and Vallade as the other two individuals who participated in the January 13, 2025 shooting. On February 27, 2025, Cromartie and Vallade were each charged with three counts of Attempted Murder. On February 28, 2025, Cromartie was taken into custody without incident at his residence by the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team. Cromartie was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he has been detained since that date. Vallade was likewise taken into custody without incident on February 28th at his place of employment in Berkeley Township by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, and Berkeley Township Police Department. Vallade was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Esler who presented the case to the Grand Jury on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, Manchester Township Police Department, Lakehurst Police Department, Berkeley Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Regional SWAT Team, Monmouth County Regional SWAT Team, Neptune Township Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, and United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, for their collaborative assistance in connection with this investigation.