Man killed, brother wounded in N.J. mall parking lot shooting identified
HAMILTON TWP., N.J. -- Authorities have identified the victims of a shooting in the parking lot of a mall in Mays Landing, Hamilton Township, that left a man dead and his brother hospitalized.
Twenty-one-year-old Demond Cottman of Atlantic City, New Jersey, was killed, and his brother, 26-year-old Shadi Cottman of Clayton, New Jersey, was shot in the leg after the gunfire erupted at 1 a.m. Friday.
"There's no need for that. There's no need for violence in such a family place. There's always kids here. It just shouldn't happen," said Jason Mehta of Hamilton Township.
It happened outside the Hamilton Mall on East Black Horse Pike near the entrance to the Macy's store.
Arriving officers found Demond Cottman had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Medics rushed Shadi Cottman to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center-City Division, where he is listed in stable condition.
We spoke with a young man, who didn't want to be identified, at the mall Friday, who says he knew Demond Cottman.
"He's a good guy. I really don't know what happened," the man said. "It's really sad, you know, people come out Thanksgiving, celebrating family and shopping, and that happens."
Action News was there just before 7 a.m. Friday as police towed away a silver SUV pockmarked with bullet holes.
Mall officials say at the time of the shooting they had closed for the night.
At this point, there's no word on who or why the trigger was pulled.
Anyone with information about this incident is being asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666 or the Hamilton Township Police Department at 609-625-2700.
