An Atlantic City man was arrested after a shooting in Atlantic City sparked a search that closed Route 40 on Friday morning.
Azir Abdullah, 19, was arrested after almost 2½ hours, Sgt. Kevin Fair said.
Police are still searching for the occupants of a second vehicle that Abdullah allegedly shot at during the initial chase.
Students and families were gathered at Sovereign Avenue School for a graduation ceremony around 10 a.m. Friday, when the shots rang out.
Gunfire can be heard in video provided to BreakingAC from the event.
Officer Daniel Kramer happened to be stopped at a light at Sovereign and Arctic avenues when he heard the gunfire.
He then saw two speeding vehicles turn off the first block of North Sovereign Avenue and onto Montpelier.
"It was crazy," one parent said. "The cops started chasing the car up Montpelier toward the bay."
A total of 17 shots can be heard in the video.
"I hope they're firecrackers," someone is heard saying.
Several seconds later someone says, "Those were gunshots."
Kramer began following, as it appeared a Dodge Charger driven by Abdullah was chasing the vehicle in front of him, according to the report.
Abdullah fired several shots at the vehicle in front of him, according to Kramer.
Kramer then sideswiped a car on Fairmount Avenue, then continued onto Albany Avenue and continued on Route 40.
The other vehicle turned down West End Avenue toward Ventnor, Fair said.
Kramer continued after Abdullah to the Exit 2 on ramp for the Atlantic City Expressway, where Abdullah lost control and crashed, according to the report.
As Abdullah fled from the vehicle, he dropped his handgun, stopped and picked it up, and fled into a wooded area, Fair said.
A perimeter around the area was established and the Atlantic City Police Department Emergency Response Team along with the New Jersey State Police’s Troop A Field Operations, Aviation and T.E.A.M.S. Units, the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Ventnor City Police Department and the Atlantic City Fire Department responded.
Abdullah was located in the dense brush at 12:20 p.m., and taken into custody by members of the department’s SWAT Team, Fair said.
Officers found a handgun magazine during a search of the area.
Detectives are investigating who was in the second vehicle.
The chase closed Route 40 in all directions into and out of the city, along with Wellington Avenue and the Atlantic City Expressway, Exit 2.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Abdullah is charged with aggravated assault, eluding, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, certain person not to possess a weapon, and possession of hollow-point ammunition.
He was taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
