On a Monday morning in Camden, New Jersey, the life of 35-year-old Mustapha Gbassa was tragically cut short. On January 23, 2023, at approximately 8:21 a.m., the sound of gunfire pierced the air in the 1100 block of Lansdowne Avenue. The Camden County Police Department was first alerted to the violence by a ShotSpotter activation. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was identified as Mustapha Gbassa, a resident of Camden. Emergency responders quickly transported him to Virtua Hospital in an effort to save his life. Despite their efforts, Gbassa was pronounced deceased at 8:31 a.m., just ten minutes after the initial alert. The incident prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit and the Camden County Police Department.
The investigation swiftly led to a suspect.
The following day, on January 24, 2023, Dimear Caraballo, a 26-year-old from Camden, was taken into custody. The arrest was made by the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force. Caraballo was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of Gbassa. Following his arrest, Caraballo was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility.
