A simmering feud between rival groups erupted into a rolling gun battle on the Atlantic City Expressway on August 29, 2016, claiming the life of 22-year-old Rosemond Octavius of Egg Harbor Township. The violent outburst, which unfolded in broad daylight, was the culmination of an earlier altercation at the Atlantic County Criminal Courthouse. Octavius, a Black male, was a passenger in a Nissan Maxima driven by his friend, Anthony Hicks, when their vehicle became entangled in the shootout.
The conflict began inside the courthouse, reportedly in a restroom, involving members of two rival factions. The dispute spilled out into the parking lot and then onto the busy expressway. Multiple vehicles were involved in the exchange of gunfire, including the Nissan Octavius was in, a white Ford Expedition, and a black Dodge Ram pickup truck. Witnesses reported hearing numerous shots as the vehicles sped along the highway.
The Ford Expedition, riddled with at least 21 bullet holes, eventually pulled into a Wawa convenience store in Egg Harbor Township, its occupants suffering from gunshot wounds. Hicks, with the fatally wounded Octavius in his passenger seat, continued driving until he was able to flag down authorities on the Garden State Parkway.
In the aftermath of the brazen highway shootout, numerous arrests were made. Anthony Hicks, the driver of the car Octavius was in, faced weapons charges. Several other individuals, including Wilbert Demosthenes, Devan Leggette, and Yahshaun Stukes-Williams, were also taken into custody and faced serious charges, including attempted murder and weapons offenses. Despite the arrests, authorities stated that no one was specifically charged with the murder of Rosemond Octavius. This was because the investigation determined that the group Octavius was with were the aggressors in the violent exchange. Three of the men involved, Demosthenes, Hicks, and Leggette, were later sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in the shootout.
