Vineland Man Gets 7 Years for Atlantic City Shooting, Police Chase
Mays Landing, N.J. — A Cumberland County man has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for opening fire on an Atlantic City street, firing seven shots near a restaurant, and in a separate case, fleeing from police before forcing his passenger out of a car and crashing into someone's backyard.
34-year-old Daniel Becerra of Vineland was sentenced Tuesday. He must serve three and a half years before becoming eligible for parole.
Seven Shots Outside El Charro
According to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, just after 4 AM on September 14th of last year, ShotSpotter picked up gunfire on the 2400 block of Island Avenue in Atlantic City.
Officers arrived to find seven spent 9mm casings, a live round, and what appeared to be blood on the ground. A man identified only as "S.R." was nearby with blood on his face, hand, and lower body.
Investigators Used Surveillance Video to Reconstruct the Shooting
Authorities said S.R. had gotten into a fight on Turnpike Avenue around 3:56 AM. The fight broke up, and S.R.'s female companion entered El Charro Restaurant minutes later.
Becerra then ran out of El Charro with two other men and approached S.R. The group walked back toward Island Avenue together, then S.R. crossed paths again with the men from the earlier fight.
At 4:06 AM, Becerra walked directly toward one of those men. As the man backed away, Becerra raised his arm and fired twice. The man ran toward the intersection of Florida and Fairmount Avenues. Becerra raised his arm again and fired five more shots.
Told His Passenger to Lie to Police
On February 23rd, 2025, Hammonton police tried to pull over a black Toyota Highlander. Becerra, who was driving, refused to stop. The registered owner of the vehicle was his passenger, and she told investigators she repeatedly begged him to pull over. He refused, told her he had active warrants, ordered her out of the car, and instructed her to give police a fake name.
After she got out, Becerra drove off, running a red light at Route 30 and Seagrove Avenue before the pursuit was called off. About an hour later, the Highlander turned up crashed in someone's backyard. Becerra was gone. The passenger was brought to the police station, where she identified him as the driver.
The Sentence
Becerra pleaded guilty on July 21st to second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and second-degree eluding. He was sentenced Tuesday to an aggregate seven years in state prison with a mandatory three-and-a-half years before parole eligibility.
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Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com
