Two people have been charged with being responsible for a 2008 shooting that left one man dead and a second seriously injured, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Wednesday.
Faheem Bowers, 27, of Elizabeth and a second defendant who was a juvenile at the time of the incident are charged with murder, attempted murder, and related weapons offenses in connection with the death of 18-year-old Christopher Cummings.
The date was May 12, 2008 when Cummings and the second victim, who was 24 at the time, were spending time in the rear yard of a home on the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue in Elizabeth, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Scott Peterson, who is prosecuting the case.
It was at that time two men wearing ski masks leaped over a fence into the backyard and opened fire, Peterson said.
Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene, while the second victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Initially, no suspects in the case were identified, but an intensive long-term investigation involving the Union County Homicide Task Force and the Elizabeth Police Department ultimately resulted in Bowers and his co-defendant being charged.
Both defendants in this matter were in custody on unrelated charges at the time they were served with murder and attempted murder complaints on Tuesday.
Bail for Bowers was set at $1 million by state Superior Court Judge William Daniel.