1 of 3 sought in ambush police officer shooting in New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J. — One of three men sought in connection with an ambush shooting of two New Jersey police detectives earlier this month has been arrested, police said.

Camden police said in a Twitter post Saturday that Juan Figueroa, 20, had been captured. He and Alexander DeJesus, 19, and Ammar Hall, 26, are charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

Two plainclothes Camden County detectives were sitting in an unmarked police sport utility vehicle Aug. 7 at a red light in Camden. A minivan stopped at a green light and two men got out and opened fire, striking the detectives’ vehicle 14 times, according to an investigation report. One detective fired four rounds at the assailants.

Police Chief J. Scott Thomson called the suspects “homicidal maniacs” Friday and said they were believed to still be in the Philadelphia-Camden area. Police said they should be considered “armed and extremely dangerous.” A $60,000 reward was posted for information leading to arrests.

“It defies the laws of probability that our officers survived, let alone escaped with minor injuries,” Thomson said. He said he did not believe the assailants were struck. Both detectives were treated and released, a male struck in the bicep and forearm and a female shot in the hand. Neither has been named because of the undercover nature of their work.

Officials declined to talk about a possible motive, but Thomson said “What is absolutely clear to all of us was their intent to kill whoever was in that vehicle.”

The Camden police Twitter post said officers were “closing in on” Hall and DeJesus “and won’t sleep until they are in cuffs.”