Victim of A.C. armed robbery that led to officer's shooting offers little to help case

Jaquan Campos didn't remember much about the night an Atlantic City police officer was shot as he and his partner came to his aid in the early hours of Sept. 3, 2016. Campos, now 20, was one of three teenagers Officers Josh Vadell and Thomas McCabe saw being held at gunpoint as they patrolled in their car that morning. He knew there was one guy with a gun in the incident that happened in an alley behind the Ruby Tuesday’s. But he didn’t remember who was with that man, identified as Jerome Damon, who was later killed in a gunfight with McCabe. Vadell told his partner to turn onto Arkansas Avenue because it looked like something was wrong, McCabe testified Monday in the trial of Damon’s alleged partners, Martel Chisolm and Demetris Cross. He saw Campos in his underwear, his pants down around his ankles and his fingers laced behind his head being held at gunpoint. McCabe got out of his car to go after one suspect who ran. That’s when he heard a pop and turned to see Vadell bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head. As Damon continued to fire, McCabe fired back, striking Damon who died about a block and a half away. Vadell, who is expected to take the stand later this week, is still recovering from his injury that forced him to retire from the department. With the gunman dead, the state alleges that Chisolm and Cross were just as responsible for what happened that night. The two men are on trial for attempted murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery. One of their alleged teen victims, K’vaun Wyatt, was killed weeks after the shooting in a still-unsolved Atlantic City homicide. Another victim, now-17-year-old, halted his testimony Monday after saying he couldn’t describe the suspects. Now he has a warrant for his return to the witness stand. On Tuesday, Campos — the final victim — took the stand. He said he remembered little from that night. On cross-examination, he told defense attorney Robin Lord that he was drunk and high. “Did you tell police you were robbed by more than one person?” asked Lord, Chisolm’s attorney. “There was only one person with a gun,” Campos replied. “Only one person tried to rob you?” she asked. “Yes,” he replied. Lord’s cross-examination brought up Campos’ pending criminal charges and texts allegedly found in his phone that spoke of drugs and the purchase of a gun. When asked if he bought a gun, Campos said he didn’t want to answer any more questions. Trial will resume Wednesday before Superior Court Judge John Rauh.