BOONTON — Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Morris County Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, Denville Police Chief Scott Welsch, Town of Boonton Police Chief Christopher Petonak and Morris County Sheriff James Gannon confirmed that Jovan Young, 37, last known address Jonesboro, GA, has been charged in connection with a woman found with gunshot injury in Boonton, New Jersey on December 24, 2025.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m. on December 24, 2025, a woman was found on the side of the road at the intersection of Old Boonton Road and Pocono Road in Denville. She was found laying in the fetal position on the side of the road with an apparent gunshot wound to her abdomen. The woman, who will not be identified at this time, was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
A subsequent investigation revealed that the woman had been with Jovan Young earlier in the day. Both the victim and Young are from Georgia, but have ties to New Jersey.
On December 25, law enforcement officers located Young in Boonton. The defendant was apprehended and officers recovered a 9mm handgun and multiple magazines loaded with hollow point cartridges.
Young was charged and subsequently transported to Morris County Correctional Facility, pending future court proceedings pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform Act.
As of December 27, the defendant has been charged with the following crimes: third-degree Endangering an Injured Person; second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose; second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; fourth-degree Possession of Hollow Point Cartridges; and fourth-degree Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons or Ammunition.
The incident remains under investigation and additional charges are possible. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200.
Prosecutor Carroll commended the efforts of the Denville Police Department, Town of Boonton Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Operations Division and Major Crimes Unit.
