A Monmouth County man has been found guilty of attempted murder and associated charges in connection with the 2015 shooting of an Asbury Park police officer, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Monday.

Dante Allen, 24, of Asbury Park, was convicted by jury on Monday of the charges of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine).

Allen is facing a sentence of up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison, subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison. He is scheduled to return for sentencing on June 21 before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Dennis R. O’Brien. 

Allen could face an additional sentence of five to 10 years in prison for the second-degree weapons offense, and an additional sentence of three to five years in prison on the third-degree drug offense.

The case background …

At trial it was revealed, that on Nov. 4, 2015, at approximately 7:15 p.m., Officer Terrence McGhee observed Allen at the intersection of Boston Way and Atkins Avenue. Upon observing McGhee, Allen pulled the hood of his hoodie over his head and walked away from the officer, while clutching something under his sweatshirt on his left side. 

McGhee watched Allen as he walked down the street, continuing to unnaturally clutch the item on his left side. The officer approached Allen at the intersection of Springwood and Atkins avenues and asked to speak with him. 

During the brief exchange, he discovered that the item Allen was clutching was in fact a firearm. Immediately after McGhee revealed that he saw the gun, Allen fled on Springwood Avenue into an open field. As Allen entered the field, he pulled out the gun, turned and faced the officer and shot directly at him, missing him.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office