Barnegat Police make two arrests in connection to Monday shooting

Two arrests have been made in connection to the Monday night shooting on Lexington Boulevard in Barnegat.

Rashon Peten, 29, of Asbury Park and Raymond McCullers Jr., 25, of Lakewood are both charged with 2nd Degree Aggravated Assault, 2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and 2nd Degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose following their Wednesday arrest.

Barnegat Police Crime Reduction Unit and agency detectives began their probe Monday night after a 26-year old Ocean Gate resident was shot in the leg.

Their investigation was thrown one curve-ball when police said the victim didn't want to, "cooperate with authorities."

Ocean County Sheriff's Officers on duty meanwhile in Lacey Township found the getaway car without McCullers or Peten in it on Tuesday.

Warrants were issued for both men's arrest Wednesday as police continued gathering clues and compiling evidence.

Peten was found in Asbury Park and arrested at 2:26 pm by the Ocean County Sheriff's Department Warrant Unit and United States Marshall's Task Force.

McCullers Jr was arrested in Lakewood at 9:30 pm with the assistance of the Lakewood Police Department Street Crimes Unit, Ocean County Sheriff's Department, United States Marshall's Task Force, and New Jersey State Police.

Barnegat Police aided in the search for the subjects along with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Operations Group.

Both Peten and McCullers Jr. were lodged in the Ocean County Jail.

Chief Keith Germain commended the work of the officers in quickly identifying the subjects and taking them into custody, "this was textbook, outstanding police work that resulted in identifying and charging the subjects in less than 48 hours."

"Barnegat is not the town you want to come to if you're planning on committing violent crime. We have a 100% clearance rate on our small number of violent crimes for a reason-we have the best officers anywhere and we will pour every available resource into solving these cases," Germain said.

The public is reminded that criminal charges are only accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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