By: Richard L. Smith
A man has been arrested and charged after a 5-year-old girl was shot inside a Perth Amboy residence earlier this month, according to a statement released by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities say the incident occurred on the night of July 7, 2025, around 11:06 p.m., when police were called to a home on Cortlandt Street after receiving reports of gunfire.
When officers arrived, they found a young girl suffering from a gunshot wound. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was treated and remains in stable condition.
Following an investigation by Detective Robert Torres of the Perth Amboy Police Department and Detective Olivia Ankudowicz of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, it was determined that the child’s father, David Wesley, was responsible for discharging the firearm that struck the girl.
Wesley was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
He faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, endangering the welfare of a child, hindering apprehension, and receiving stolen property.
Authorities have not yet disclosed how the weapon was obtained or what led to the shooting.
Anyone with additional information or surveillance footage from the area is urged to contact Detective Robert Torres at 732-324-3879.