A 26-year-old man who stepped into a brawl outside a Brooklawn bar to try to calm things down ended up shot for his trouble, according to authorities. Daejuan Sanders, 27, of Lindenwold is now facing attempted murder and weapons charges in connection with the shooting outside the Empire Sports Bar on Crescent Boulevard early on Halloween morning.
According to the NJ.com report by Jeff Goldman, the victim was trying to de-escalate a dispute involving multiple people when Sanders allegedly opened fire. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said the shooting happened at approximately 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 31, according to courierpostonline.com. A separate account from Daily Voice states that Brooklawn police responded to the bar at 2:17 a.m. that same morning and then learned that a 26-year-old man had been shot; the two timestamps come from different parts of the reporting and have not been reconciled.
Victim's Friends Rushed Him for Treatment
Rather than wait for an ambulance, the victim's friends drove him to an area hospital for treatment, per the NJ.com account. The Daily Voice report similarly notes that the victim was transported via private vehicle to a nearby hospital, according to authorities.
Investigators determined that Sanders shot the man while he was attempting to de-escalate a physical altercation involving multiple people in the parking lot outside the bar, the Daily Voice report states. The bar sits on the 300 block of Crescent Boulevard in Brooklawn, per the same courierpostonline.com account.
Charges and Custody
Sanders was charged on Nov. 3 with attempted murder, aggravated assault and multiple weapons offenses, according to NJ.com. He is being held at the Camden County Jail ahead of a detention hearing, according to the NJ.com reporting.
Camden County Prosecutor's Office investigators are asking anyone with information to contact Senior Detective Eric Ruiz at 856-225-8686, or to submit a tip through Camden.tips. Brooklawn police are separately asking that anyone with information reach out to Lt. Raymond McKenney Jr. at 856-456-0750, extension 112.
A Past Brooklawn Brawl
The Empire Sports Bar shooting is not the only violent altercation reported in Brooklawn. At Westbrook Bowling Lanes, an argument between two men turned physical and left one man requiring emergency surgery after being stabbed in the groin, according to NJ 101.5. Witnesses at the bowling alley identified 31-year-old Jorge H. Perez of Westville as a suspect after a 26-year-old man was found injured, the outlet reported. That victim was taken to Cooper Hospital and was listed in stable condition after surgery, and Perez was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses, per NJ 101.5's reporting.
