On a Monday evening in Camden, New Jersey, 37-year-old Nelson Jackson’s attempt to be a peacemaker ended in tragedy. It was shortly before 6 p.m. on November 10, 2014, on the 800 block of Haddon Avenue, when an argument broke out between two individuals. Jackson, a Camden resident, stepped in to de-escalate the rising tensions. His intervention, however, drew the fatal attention of one of the men involved in the dispute.
The man, later identified as Elliot P. Nock, also of Camden, was not open to a peaceful resolution. Instead of calming down, Nock pulled out a revolver and fired several shots at Jackson, striking him five times. As panic and chaos likely ensued, Nock fled the scene on foot, leaving Jackson wounded in the street. Emergency services were called, and Jackson was rushed to Cooper University Hospital. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead at 7:16 p.m.
The shooting was one of two unrelated fatal shootings that occurred in Camden within a two-hour span.
The investigation into Nelson Jackson's death quickly pointed towards Elliot P. Nock, who also went by the name Eliot Knock. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was considered armed and dangerous. A U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force initiated a search for Nock. Interestingly, Nock was also identified as the suspect in the second fatal shooting that occurred later the same evening, the murder of 21-year-old Daniel Damon. Nock was eventually captured and charged with both murders.
In June 2017, a jury found Elliot P. Nock guilty of the murder of Nelson Jackson, as well as related weapons offenses. The evidence presented at trial painted a clear picture of an argument that escalated to a senseless act of violence. For his crime, Nock was sentenced to a life term in prison, which in New Jersey equates to 75 years. He will be required to serve nearly 64 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole in 2081.
