MAYS LANDING — A man wanted in the October shooting of two cousins in Atlantic City was arrested early Wednesday morning.
Roger Howard, 19, is accused of shooting the teens -- ages 18 and 19 -- at about 10:40 p.m. Oct. 13, after demanding their sneakers as they walked home from a convenience store on North Indiana Avenue.
The cousins ran, and Howard allegedly chased them while firing, striking each in the leg.
Howard was arrested at 1 a.m. Wednesday in a home on the 6300 block of Benson Avenue in Mays Landing by the Atlantic City SWAT team, Special Investigations Section and Intelligence Unit along with Hamilton Township police and the FBI.
He was found hiding in the bedroom of the house, and surrendered to SWAT K-9 Officer George Adams and his partner, Grip, Lt. James Sarkos said. No weapons were found with him.
A warrant was issued for Howard's arrest a few days after the shooting charging him with two counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, along with robbery and weapons offenses. At the time he was said to be considered armed and dangerous.
He was located after an investigation by Atlantic City police with the help of police from Hamilton Township and the FBI.
"Capturing this violent fugitive has been a top priority of the Atlantic City Police Department and this investigation is a great example of the partnership the ACPD has formed with its local and federal counterparts.” Sarkos said.
Howard is being held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $150,000 full cash bail.
He was previously arrested in March with a loaded handgun, The Press of Atlantic City reported at the time. Police arrested him after getting several calls that there were shots in the 300 block of N. North Carolina Avenue. It was not clear whether Howard had shot the gun or was being shot at.
In late January, he was the victim of a shooting outside a convenience store where he had stopped for lunch.
Contact Lynda Cohen: 609-272-7257 LCohen@pressofac.com
