Original Article: www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2016/11/man_shot_multiple_times_on_penns_grove_street_auth.html#incart_most_shared-salem

By: Bill Gallo


 

Two police officers witnessed a murder late Saturday night, and then chased and quickly apprehended the alleged killer, authorities said.

The incident took place at the intersection of Olive Street and East Broadway in Salem City around 9:56 p.m., Chief of Police John A. Pelura III said.

It was the second killing in the past month near the same spot.

The victim was identified by authorities as Anthony D. “Pooh Bear” Johnson, 33, of Elmer.

According to Pelura, two Salem police officers were on patrol on Olive Street late Saturday night when they saw two men standing on the southwest corner where the street intersects with East Broadway. As their patrol car moved closer, they saw the flash of a gun, Pelura said.

At that point, one of the men fell to the ground and the other ran from the scene.

The man that ran was identified by police as Paul A. Carter, 33, of Salem. Pelura said the officers chased Carter across East Broadway onto nearby Johnson Street, where Carter went into a backyard.

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As the officers were about to capture Carter, he allegedly threw a handgun into the yard.

Meanwhile, emergency personnel arrived on the scene to tend to Johnson.

He was taken to The Memorial Hospital of Salem County in nearby Mannington Township, where he was pronounced dead from “multiple gunshot wounds,” Pelura said.

Carter was charged with murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a defaced weapon, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of a weapon while engaged in a controlled dangerous substance offense, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana), possession of drug paraphernalia and trespassing, police said.

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Pelura said early Sunday that investigators don’t yet have a motive in the case.

He said the corner where the killing took place is a known hangout where “open-air drug activity takes place.”

“This case was solved because two police officers were witnesses and did excellent work,” Pelura said.

Near the same corner on Oct. 31, Shariff Aaron, 19, of Salem was shot and killed. That case remains unsolved.

It was also near the same corner that a man was shot in the back on Oct. 2, with the bullet going right through his body. That man lived, and the case remains unsolved.

The Salem Police Department was assisted Saturday night by officers from Lower Alloways Creek, the New Jersey State Police, Pennsville, Carneys Point, Woodstown Borough, the Salem County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9 Unit and Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, Pelura said.

Carter’s bail was set at $500,000 early Sunday.

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He was to taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility in Mannington Township.