Authorities said the shooting happened Thursday afternoon inside the library on East Main Street.
FREEHOLD, N.J. — A man was shot Thursday afternoon inside the Freehold Borough Public Library, leaving him hospitalized in critical but stable condition as local and county investigators searched for answers.
The shooting brought police, prosecutors and emergency crews to East Main Street in downtown Freehold shortly after 4 p.m. Officials described the case as an isolated incident and said there was no known further danger to the community. No arrest had been announced as of Friday.
Police said the victim was shot several times inside the library, a public building in the center of the borough. A nearby worker, Elizabeth Porshay, said she first thought the sound might have come from a car. “I heard gunshots,” Porshay said. She later saw the wounded man carried out on a stretcher. The victim’s name was not released by authorities.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Freehold Borough Police Chief Christopher Colaner said the shooting happened at about 4:21 p.m. Detectives from the prosecutor’s Major Crimes Bureau and the Freehold Borough Police Department are investigating. Officials have not released a motive, and they have not said whether they have identified a suspect.
The library said its staff members were safe but expected the building to remain closed until Monday. On Friday, workers were seen cleaning inside the building as investigators continued to review the scene. Surveillance cameras on and around the library may be part of the investigation, though officials have not said what evidence has been recovered.
Nashay Richardson told Eyewitness News that the victim was a childhood friend and is now in his early 20s. “I honestly don’t know why he was targeted,” Richardson said. She called the shooting unnecessary and aggressive. Authorities have not confirmed whether the victim was targeted or whether the gunfire followed a dispute.
Investigators asked anyone with information to contact the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office or Freehold Borough police. The case remained active Friday, with the victim still hospitalized and the library expected to reopen Monday.
Author note: Last updated May 1, 2026.