Man Shot Child's Mother, Tried To Hide Evidence: Atlantic City Police

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — An Atlantic City man was charged with attempted murder after shooting the mother of his child, police said. A Somers Point woman is accused of helping him try to cover up the evidence as well.

A woman with a gunshot wound was dropped off at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division shortly before 3 a.m. Jan. 28, police said. The driver dropped her off at the emergency department and left immediately, police said.

The woman, 32, was treated for serious injuries.

Officers were able to track down the vehicle that dropped the woman off and found it on the first block of south Iowa Avenue with blood on it, according to police. Police were then led to an apartment building on the same block.

Inside that apartment were Edwin Jones, 39, along with three other women, two toddlers and an infant, police said. They were all removed from the residence, which police said had evidence of a crime scene.

Investigation found that Jones shot the woman, his child's mother, then directed another woman to drive her to the hospital, according to police.

Katie Harpel, a 29-year-old Somers Point resident, attempted to help clean the residence with cleaning supplies, police said.

A handgun and additional evidence were found outside the apartment, police said.

Jones and Harpel were taken into custody, and the Division of Child Protection & Permanency responded to help with placement of the three children.

Along with attempted murder, Jones was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, tampering with evidence and certain person not to possess a weapon.

Harpel was charged with tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension.

Both were taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.