In a follow-up to a recent post concerning the fatal shooting and carjacking that occurred at the Mall at Short Hills in Millburn, New Jersey on Sunday, December 15th, authorities have placed four suspects under arrest, charging each with murder, carjacking, conspiracy, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Dustin Friedland, a 30-year-old attorney from Hoboken, New Jersey was shot at approximately 9:10 p.m. as he and his wife proceeded to their 2012 silver Range Rover, located in an upper-level parking deck. The assailants shot Friedland in the head, leaving his wife unharmed, before fleeing the scene in the stolen vehicle.
Following a week-long investigation conducted by officials from federal and local law enforcement agencies, authorities announced the arrests of Newark residents 31-year-old Karif Ford, 32-year-old Basim Henry, and 35-year-old Kevin Roberts, as well as 29-year-old Irvington resident Hanif Thompson.
According to Essex County Prosecutor’s Office chief of detectives Anthony Ambrose, the suspects were apprehended separately in a series of arrests that took place between 9 p.m. on Friday, December 20thand 3 a.m. on Saturday, December 21st. Thompson was arrested at his Irvington residence, Henry at a hotel in Easton, Pennsylvania, and Ford and Roberts each in Newark.
Prior to the arrests, authorities were offering a $41,000 reward in exchange for information related to the case. Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said in a statement that officials received numerous calls from Essex County residents providing tips pertaining to the incident.
Investigators have now constructed a more clear vision of the alleged series of events. First, the four suspects entered the parking lot in a Suburban, at which time Friedland and his wife were attempting to get back into their vehicle. Friedland reportedly helped his wife into the passenger side and proceeded to the driver’s side, before being confronted by one of the assailants. Although it is believed that multiple shots were fired, Friedland was shot once in the head and his wife was removed from the vehicle uninjured before the suspects disembarked.
Allegedly, two men left the scene in the Suburban, while the other two fled in the Range Rover. Witnesses reported seeing the green SUV and the Range Rover being driven away after the incident. The stolen vehicle was discovered on Renner Avenue in Newark the following morning; however, police have yet to find the weapon used in the crime’s commission. Murray did not disclose the connection between the four men arrested but did say that their ultimate goal was to steal the car.
According to U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, this crime represents yet another in the slue of carjacking that have occurred in Essex County. Statistically, Essex ranks first among all of New Jersey’s counties in terms of its rate of carjacking crimes.
The four alleged offenders are currently being detained at Essex County Correctional Facility, with their bails set at $2 million each. They could each be sentenced to a term of incarceration ranging from 30 years to life in prison if convicted of the charges against them.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Short Hills mall shooting update: 4 men arrested, identified in connection with deadly carjacking
