Cranford Man Charged In Linden Highway Double Shooting

CRANFORD, NJ — A Cranford man is behind bars in connection with a double shooting that occurred Sunday morning in Linden. Andrew C. Johnson, 50, has been charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and four related weapons charges.

According to the Union County Prosecutor's Office, officers with the Linden Police Department responded to a report of shots fired on the northbound lanes of Route 1 and Route 9 near Avenue C.

Police found two shooting victims, a 50-year-old man and a 64-year-old man, inside a vehicle stopped on the highway, said Union County Assistant Prosecutor Colleen Ruppert, who is prosecuting the case. The victims, both Elizabeth residents, were transported to University Hospital in Newark for emergency medical treatment.

Police eventually located Johnson inside his vehicle in Elizabeth and took him into custody. Prosecutors said officers recovered a defaced .40-caliber handgun from the vehicle.

Johnson was booked into the Union County Jail pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place later this week in superior court.

“There is no way to understand this kind of senseless violence,” Chief Hart said. “Our prayers are with the victims, and we are grateful to the members of the public and responding officers whose swift actions led to the arrest of this suspect within minutes of the incident.”

Anyone with information about the shooting is being urged to contact Linden Police Department Detective Juan Velarde at 908-474-8552, Prosecutor’s Office Detective Brandon Lorenz at 908-337-3230 or Prosecutor’s Office Sgt. Danika Ramos at 908-451-7739.