By: Richard L. Smith
A Newark man wanted in connection with the June shooting death of a 19-year-old has been captured in North Carolina, bringing a nearly three-month search for the suspect to an end.
Patrick Jerry Gelin, 22, was arrested September 25 in Raleigh, North Carolina, according to arrest records reviewed by RLS Media.
Records show Gelin was taken into custody at 701 Centennial Parkway and was being held as a fugitive wanted on a homicide matter out of Essex County, New Jersey.
Gelin was apprehended by members of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The arrest stems from the June 20 shooting of 19-year-old Mr. Ishmael Muhammad in Newark.
Initial reports indicated that the shooting occurred around midnight not far from the family’s home. Muhammad was struck multiple times, while another person was also shot and survived.
People in the area reportedly came to Muhammad’s aid following the shooting, and he was rushed to University Hospital in Newark while still alive.
His mother told RLS Media that doctors attempted to save her son, but he died during surgery at approximately 2 a.m.
The precise circumstances surrounding the shooting and what led to the encounter have not been independently confirmed by RLS Media.
As the criminal case moves forward, Muhammad’s mother wanted the public to know there was much more to her son than the circumstances of his death.
Muhammad had recently graduated from Newark Street Academy and earned certifications in business, OSHA 30, food safety and historic preservation, according to his mother. She said he served as a mentor and tutor and had an entrepreneurial side, including reselling sneakers.
He enjoyed motorcycles, sports, traveling, gaming, shopping and food and was remembered by his family as charismatic, motivated, generous and willing to help others.
Known to family and friends by several nicknames, including “King Ish,” Muhammad would have celebrated his 20th birthday on September 23 — two days before Gelin was arrested.
“This was my firstborn child,” his mother told RLS Media, saying her family has spent the months since June waiting for accountability while grieving his loss.
Gelin faces a homicide-related charge connected to the Essex County case. The charge is an accusation, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.