A local man has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a Roselle resident outside a Linden convenience store Tuesday night, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan and Linden Police Chief David Hart jointly announced Wednesday.
Authorities also charged Darwin Cadet, 18, of Roselle, with two related weapons offenses for his alleged role in the death of 27-year-old Brian Pierre.
According to officials, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Linden and Roselle police department patrol units were called to the 1800 block of East St. Georges Avenue on a report of shots being fired, according to the preliminary investigation.
Upon arrival, officers found Pierre in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police said he died while being transported to a local hospital.
A swift-moving Union County Homicide Task Force investigation, assisted by members of the Linden Police Department, Roselle Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office Identification Unit, and Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit resulted in Cadet being identified as a suspect in the case. He was taken into custody without incident and charged Tuesday morning, lodged in Union County Jail pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in Superior Court.
Anyone with information about this matter still is being urged to contact Homicide Task Force Sgt. Johnny Ho at 908-403-8271 or Detective Lamar Hartsfield at 908-451-1873.
Convictions on criminal charges of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.