By: Richard L. Smith
Authorities in Ocean County are investigating a violent shooting in Berkeley Township that left a husband and wife critically wounded and led to the apparent suicide of the suspect.
Law enforcement officials are working to determine the events leading up to the incident, which unfolded in a residential neighborhood on Drake Drive.
According to information released by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, the Berkeley Township Police Department received a 911 call at approximately 4:45 p.m. on March 10, 2025, reporting two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.
Responding officers arrived at the scene and discovered a married couple, both critically injured.
Emergency personnel quickly arranged for the victims to be airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where they remain in critical but stable condition.
An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and the Berkeley Township Police Department revealed that the shooter was the couple’s next-door neighbor, 54-year-old John Adamo.
Authorities determined that Adamo first shot the male victim outside the neighboring residence before firing into the home, striking the female victim.
Following the attack, Adamo retreated into his own home, prompting an immediate response from law enforcement.
The Ocean County Regional SWAT Team and the SWAT-Crisis Negotiation Team arrived at the scene and attempted to persuade Adamo to surrender.
After approximately two and a half hours with no response, SWAT officers entered the residence, where they found Adamo in an upstairs bedroom, deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Upon searching Adamo’s home, SWAT officers discovered a pressure cooker inside the bedroom, raising initial concerns about a possible explosive device.
As a precaution, authorities evacuated nearby homes while the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad assessed the situation.
After a thorough examination, the bomb squad determined that the pressure cooker posed no threat.
The investigation remains ongoing as officials work to uncover the circumstances that led to the tragic shooting.
Authorities urge anyone with additional information to come forward as they continue to piece together the events of that day.