BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ – Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on September 10, 2020, Alonzo Legrande, 18, of Asbury Park, was charged as an adult with four counts of Attempted Murder in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1 and 2C:11-3a, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b. The defendant, who was 17 years-old when the crimes occurred, voluntarily waived jurisdiction of the Family Court and has agreed to be prosecuted as an adult.
On Tuesday, October 22, 2019, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Brick Township Police were summoned to Brick Memorial High School for a report of a student who had sustained a gunshot wound. Investigation revealed that the student was walking home from school with three friends when he was shot approximately one-quarter mile away from Brick Memorial; he then ran back to the school for help. As a precaution, Brick Township Police and school officials locked down the high school as well as neighboring schools before determining there was no immediate danger to students. The victim was treated at Ocean Medical Center in Brick Township and released.
As part of their investigation, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Brick Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit reviewed video surveillance footage from nearby residences. The video surveillance depicted Legrande and Luis Rivas, who was also a juvenile at the time and has also agreed to be prosecuted as an adult, acting together and in support of one another in carrying out the shooting. Further investigation revealed that Legrande was, in fact, the individual who fired the weapon. He was apprehended on October 23, 2019, and has been lodged in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center since his apprehension. Rivas has already pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(1), and is presently scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2020, at which time the State will be seeking a term of five years New Jersey State Prison subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-7.2.