New Jersey Resident Who Shot Alleged Teenage Car Burglar Faces Attempted Murder Charges

A New Jersey resident who shot a teen allegedly trying to burglarize his car now faces an attempted murder charge, officials said.

Omar Smadiya, 38, of Garfield also faces multiple firearms charges following the incident in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Prosecutors say he shot Christopher Manon-Velez, 19, in the back after confronting the teen.

Manon-Velez faces one count of burglary of a motor vehicle. Prosecutors said their investigation revealed that he "had burglarized several vehicles in the area just prior to the shooting."

Police previously said the 19-year-old was trying to break into Smadiya's car on Farnham Avenue in Garfield around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday when Smadiya shot at him. 

The teen made it to a McDonald’s a few blocks from the car after he was shot, where he asked for a cup of water. 

A few seconds later, he had fallen to the floor, a manager who works at the McDonald's told News 4.

Manon-Velez was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the torso, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said. He was in stable condition as of Thursday afternoon, according to prosecutors.

Neighbors told News 4 they heard the gunshots.

"I heard three shots, and this kid was running like his butt was on fire," said Cherice Ritchie. 

"Gunshots woke my husband out of a deep sleep, and then he woke everybody else up," said Maria Nasello. 

One neighbor said she called 911 after she saw the teen running down the street. 

Video obtained by News 4 shows the car's rear window bashed in, but it wasn't immediately clear whether the damage was caused by the alleged burglary or by gunshots.

Residents in the neighborhood agreed, though, the car burglary is not worth taking someone's life.

"I don't think it's enough to shoot somebody for breaking into a car," said Ritchie. "Tackle him, drop him by the neck, do whatever you have to do to hold them there -- you can do that."