PERTH AMBOY, N.J. — A man was charged following the non-fatal shooting of his 5-year-old daughter inside a residence earlier this month, Middlesex County authorities announced Friday.
According to a joint statement by Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Perth Amboy Police Chief Lawrence Cattano, police responded to a home on Cortlandt Street on July 7 around 11:06 p.m. after reports of shots being fired. Officers discovered a 5-year-old girl with a gunshot wound and transported her to a nearby hospital, where she was treated and listed in stable condition.
An investigation led by Detective Robert Torres of the Perth Amboy Police Department and Detective Olivia Ankudowicz of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that the girl’s father, David Wesley, discharged a firearm inside the residence, striking the child.
Wesley was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, endangering the welfare of a child, hindering, and receiving stolen property. He is currently held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
Authorities noted that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Perth Amboy Mayor Helmin J. Caba addressed the community’s concern, stating: “While specific details must remain private to protect the child’s well-being, I can share that the appropriate agencies are actively involved. The child is safe, receiving medical care, and is being supported through the proper channels.”
Police Chief Cattano emphasized that there is “no immediate threat to the public during or in the subsequent period following this incident.”
Wesley’s charges stem from an investigation that officials described as careful and coordinated, involving the Middlesex County Special Victims Bureau.
