A fugitive being sought in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in Long Branch last week has been located in the Poconos and arrested, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Friday.
Damian Bass, 19, with a last known address in Fanwood (Union County), was arrested in the Effort section of Chestnuthill Township, Pennsylvania by members of the Scranton-based U.S. Marshals Middle District of Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Fugitive Task Force Monmouth/Ocean Team.
Shortly before 7:45 p.m. Mon., Aug. 26, Long Branch Police Department officers responded to the platform of the NJ TRANSIT Long Branch Station for a report of a shooting victim. Upon their arrival, the officers found 43-year-old James Hailey of Newark, who had sustained a gunshot wound. Hailey was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased about an hour later.
An investigation involving members of the MCPO, New Jersey Transit Police, and Long Branch Police Department resulted in Bass being identified as a suspect, and he was charged with first-degree Murder and two related weapons offenses the next day.
Bass remains in custody in Pennsylvania awaiting extradition, pending proceedings to be held in Monmouth County Superior Court.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the MCPO Major Crimes Bureau. Information about legal representation for Bass was not immediately available as of this writing.
Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact MCPO Detective Aaron Shaw at 800-533-7443, New Jersey Transit Police Detective Brian Lee at 973-491-8952, or Long Branch Police Department Detective Daniel Cunha at 732-222-1000, Ext. 1373.
“We sincerely thank our various municipal, county, state, and federal partners who have worked with us so seamlessly in helping manage this investigation and making this arrest,” Prosecutor Santiago said. “It was a prime example of well-coordinated, efficient, and thorough cooperative work involving many moving parts.”
“This arrest was made possible through close coordination between law enforcement agencies and good, solid police work,” New Jersey Transit Police Deputy Chief Andrew Crowe added. “I want to thank all of the agencies involved for their diligence on this investigation, which shows that those who commit acts of violence on our public transit network will be brought to justice.”
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and state law.
