By: Richard L Smith
Ocean County authorities are searching for a 51-year-old Toms River man who has been charged with murder following a deadly shooting outside a Wawa Friday morning.
According to a statement released by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, Douglas Cobb, 51, of Toms River, was charged September 18 with Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Certain Person Not to Possess a Weapon.
The charges stem from the shooting death of Bruce Gress, 42, of Toms River.
Police responded at approximately 7:20 a.m. to the Wawa convenience store at the corner of Route 37 and Garfield Avenue after receiving a report of a person suffering from a gunshot wound.
When Toms River Township Police officers arrived, they found Gress suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
Emergency medical personnel transported Gress to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said an investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit identified Cobb as the person accused of shooting and killing Gress.
As of the prosecutor’s announcement, Cobb had not been taken into custody and was considered a fugitive from justice. Authorities said an arrest warrant has been issued, and his name has been entered into the National Crime Information Center database.
Officials said Cobb is also known as Douglas Green and goes by the nickname “Bootknock.”
He was last seen driving a black 2016 Acura MDX with New Jersey license plate T93YJL.
Prosecutor Billhimer urged anyone who knows Cobb to advise him to surrender peacefully.
Anyone with credible information regarding Cobb’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit at 732-929-2027 or the Toms River Township Police Department at 732-349-0150.