Police Shot Rumson Burglary Suspect As Car Drove At Officer: Affidavit

RUMSON, NJ — The suspects involved in a burglary investigation that led to a Newark man being shot by police in Rumson have been identified and are facing multiple charges, according to documents from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Nnamdi Atumudo, 27, of Newark, and Rasheen Yarbrough, 20, of St. Louis, Missouri, have been charged with conspiracy, theft and burglary.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the incident that led to Atumudo and Yarbrough’s arrest began at 4:39 a.m. on Sept. 6. when a Woodmere Avenue resident reported that two men dressed in all black were trying to break into her cars.

Rumson police looked at the resident's home security footage that showed two men wearing all black with ski masks and saw one was wearing red sneakers, according to the affidavit.

As police were responding to the Woodmere Avenue call, a resident of Avenue of Two Rivers South called at 4:47 a.m. to report two men dressed all in black were trying to break into her house, the affidavit said.

One minute later, at 4:48 a.m., a Rumson police officer reported that suspects in the burglary investigation hit his car and were traveling on Avenue of Two Rivers toward Rumson in a car with Missouri license plates, according to the affidavit.

The Rumson officer gave chase with his patrol vehicle's emergency lights and siren on, the affidavit said.

A Fair Haven police officer who was in the area to help with the investigation was stopped in his marked patrol vehicle on Avenue of Two Rivers when a blue Chrysler 200 with Missouri license plates drove toward him, the affidavit said.

The officer was outside his car and ordered the suspects to stop, but the driver — later identified as Yarbrough — kept going, the affidavit said.

The Fair Haven officer then fired multiple shots at the suspects' vehicle, which drove off the road and into the bushes, the affidavit said.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office did not identify the officers involved in the incident.

Atumudo, who was shot, and Yarbrough got out of the vehicle as ordered by police and were taken to the hospital for treatment, the affidavit said.

After Yarbrough and Atumudo were arrested, police found a blue, child’s electric bike in the backseat of the suspects’ car.

A resident of Avenue of Two Rivers South reported that a bike of the same description worth $328.99 was stolen from their home, and that a piece of purple latex glove was found in the door jamb of the garage.

When they were arrested, Yarbrough was found to be wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants, light-colored sneakers and purple latex gloves. Atumudo was wearing a short-sleeved black shirt, black pants, black and red sneakers and a black head covering, according to the affidavit.

The Avenue of Two Rivers South resident told police two men entered their detached garage to steal the bike and that the men tried to enter their home as well by attempting to turn the doorknobs of the home’s exterior doors.

The Woodmere Avenue resident also told police that two men entered their vehicle and went through it, though nothing of value was taken.

Surveillance footage from Woodmere Avenue shows that the two people trying to break into cars were wearing clothes consistent with what Atumudo and Yarbrough were wearing, the affidavit said.

Read Patch’s previous reporting:

• Police-Involved Shooting Injures Man In Rumson