In a roughly seven hour period on Friday, cops in Atlantic City say five people were arrested and eight guns, including two machine guns, were seized in two separate incidents.

Staring off the day, the Atlantic City Police Department says at around 6:15 AM, officers responded to the 800 block of Maryland Avenue after they received a ShotSpotter alert. Arriving officers found evidence of gunfire and surveillance center personnel saw several men run into a home, one armed with a rifle, in the same block, according to a press release.

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Once an Emergency Response Team arrived, one of the men surrendered to police. Inside that home, cops say they found a rifle, a machine gun, two handguns, and ammunition. Four men, identified as 27-year-old Faraji Blackwell, 18-year-old Adresce Jones, 18-year-old Joshua Maldonado, and 18-year-old Elliot Simmons, all from Atlantic City, were arrested and all face a long list of weapon-related charges.

Then in a separate case, just before 1 PM, officers executed a search warrant at a home in the first block of South Mansion Avenue. At that house, cops say they found four guns, including a rifle and a machine gun, over 32 grams of cocaine, and items used for drug distribution. One of the guns was reported stolen from Los Angeles. There, 51-year-old Joaquin DeJesus of Atlantic City was arrested and charged with a long list of weapon and drug-related charges.

First block of South Mansion Avenue in Atlantic City NJ - Photo: Google Maps
First block of South Mansion Avenue in Atlantic City NJ - Photo: Google Maps
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In a statement, Interim Officer in Charge James Sarkos said, "The investigations today resulted in the recovery of eight deadly firearms from the streets of our community. I am thankful that these dangerous weapons have been removed from the hands of violent offenders and that no one was injured during the course of today’s incidents."

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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