August 25, 2022 – Updated — Police say there were no injuries as a result of this incident.

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On August 24, 2022, at approximately 9:02 a.m., the Lawrence Township Police Department received a call from a person walking on the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail (Lawrence Twp.) who indicated that he was shot at by an unknown person. This incident took place adjacent to the footbridge connecting the trail system over Brunswick Pike just north of Bakers Basin Road.

Lawrence Township Police Officers heard the sound of gunfire coming from the same wooded area upon their arrival. Officers observed a male suspect run into a nearby home where he was believed to have barricaded himself. During the initial investigation, multiple spent shell casings were located.
Subsequent to the investigation, several search warrants were executed in the 3000 block of Brunswick Pike.

Multiple police units from the area were on scene until 1:00 a.m. August 25, 2022. Lawrence Township EMS and Lawrence Township Fire Department staged nearby at the AAA Building near Bakers Basin Road. Fire and EMS units cleared the scene around 1:00 a.m.

Police say there were no injuries as a result of this incident.

John Kachmar, twenty-two from Lawrence Township was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are expected to be filed.

Anyone who has information regarding this incident is asked to contact Lawrence Township Police Detective Sean Kerins @ 609-844-7121 / skerins@lawrencetwp.com or Detective Ryan Dunn @ 609-844-7125 / rdunn@lawrencetwp.com.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.

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