A Toms River Man has been Charged in the Shooting Deaths of Two Men in Lakewood
The Winter Solstice Arrives in New Jersey on Dec. 21
December 19, 2021
Lakewood shooting victim leaves behind a family
December 20, 2021A Toms River Man has been Charged in the Shooting Deaths of Two Men in Lakewood
Tyshaun Drummond, 39 of Toms River
A 39-year-old Toms River man has been charged with the shooting deaths of two men in a Lakewood apartment complex early Sunday.
Tyshaun Drummond was arrested on murder and burglary charges in the double slaying at the Brettwood Apartments on River Avenue around 7:20 a.m., according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
According to the announcement, the victims were Nicholas Hardy, 36, of Toms River, and Sergio Chavez-Perez, 32, of Lakewood. It was unclear whether Chavez-Perez lived in the apartment complex.#BREAKING VIDEO: Watch as Lakewood Police taze the shooting suspect and take him into custody. The suspect allegedly shot and killed two people moments ago in #Lakewood #nj https://t.co/lzQ23UKitJ pic.twitter.com/VJW1Kr9Skd
— The Lakewood Scoop (@LakewoodScoop) December 19, 2021
Billhimer announced Drummond's arrest early Sunday evening, less than 12 hours after he was apprehended in the garden apartment complex courtyard, not long after the shooting.
Drummond was seen standing outside the brick structure, bare-chested, obviously unarmed, with his hands folded in front of him, surrounded by a half-dozen police officers, according to a video posted by The Lakewood Scoop. At least one of the cops stunned Drummond with a conducted energy device, often known as a taser, and he slowly slumped backward out of the picture, according to Billhimer. Officers had ordered Drummond to lie down on the ground, but he refused, according to Billhimer.
According to Billhimer, “The deaths of these two men are senseless and tragic. “The responding Lakewood Township Police Officers should be commended for their bravery and their use of less than lethal force in taking Drummond into custody. They prevented a bad situation from getting worse.”
Drummond's "rapid apprehension" was aided by the Lakewood Township Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, in addition to Billhimer's own officers' Major Crime Unit.
Lakewood officers arrived to the area on a complaint of shots fired early Sunday morning, when they found a guy matching the description of the gunman, later identified as Drummond, in front of the complex, according to Billhimer.Officers entered the apartment complex after subduing Drummond and discovered the deaths of Hardy and Chavez-Perez, who had both been shot in the head, according to Billhimer. Drummond was recognized as the shooter by the sheriff's crime scene investigation unit, he said.
Drummond was taken into custody at a local hospital late Sunday. After being tased and falling to the ground, the suspect smacked his head, according to Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles.
