MAYS LANDING, NJ — A 34-year-old Atlantic City man has been sentenced to state prison for his role in a 2024 shooting outside a local bar, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.
Hakim A. Clark was sentenced on June 9,, by Superior Court Judge Donna Taylor to an aggregate term of six years in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act (NERA), which requires him to serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. That sentence will run concurrent to an additional eight-year sentence with a five-year parole ineligibility period. The charges include second-degree aggravated assault, two counts of second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons, and fourth-degree obstruction.
The charges stem from a February 25, 2024, shooting near Proud Mary’s bar at the intersection of Sovereign and Fairmount Avenues in Atlantic City. According to authorities, Atlantic City Police officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert and multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire in the area.
Surveillance footage captured Clark inside and outside the bar multiple times throughout the evening. Video shows him playing pool prior to the incident and later fleeing south on Sovereign Avenue. In the footage, Clark is seen pulling a handgun from his vest pocket, raising his arm, and firing multiple shots, as a muzzle flash was visible from his extended arm. Several people nearby were forced to duck for cover as shots rang out.
Authorities launched a manhunt for Clark following the shooting. On March 8, 2024, patrol units spotted him outside 100 South North Carolina Avenue. When approached by officers, Clark initially provided a false name and resisted arrest as backup units arrived. After a prolonged struggle, officers were able to take him into custody.
A search following his arrest led to the discovery of a loaded handgun containing two rounds of hollow point ammunition. Investigators later confirmed the weapon had been reported stolen from North Carolina. Ten suspected ecstasy pills were also found in Clark’s possession.
The handgun was submitted to the New Jersey State Lab for ballistic analysis, which confirmed it was the same weapon used in the February 2024 shooting.
Clark, who has a prior criminal record that prohibits him from possessing firearms, was charged with multiple weapons offenses in addition to the assault and obstruction charges.
With the sentencing now complete, Clark will serve a significant portion of his term before becoming eligible for parole, underlining the serious consequences of violent gun offenses in Atlantic County.
