The “New Year” began with Lakewood Police receiving reports of two shootings within minutes of each other near Laurel Avenue and Route 88. Police made no arrests Monday in the shootings, which were reported at 12:36 a.m. and 12:45 a.m. Monday.

Lorenzo Alcoser Verdin, 35, of Lakewood was outside with children and other adults when he was struck by a bullet in the second burst of gunfire, Detective Steve Wexler said. Verdin was hit in the upper arm and was treated and released at Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood, police said.

Police are unable to rule out that the shootings are gang-related, Wexler said.

No one was injured in the first spray of gunfire at an Ocean Avenue (Route 88) home, which followed an altercation between two groups of men, Wexler said.

After one group left the fight, someone in the group fired a gun at the people they had been fighting with, but no one was struck, Wexler said.

The men then passed another home on nearby Laurel Avenue where several people – adults and children – were outdoors celebrating the new year, Wexler said.

A man from the same group fired “indiscriminately” at the revelers, including children, and wounded Verdin, Wexler said.

“For no reason, he turned and fired multiple shots at a group of people celebrating outside,” Wexler said.

“People scattered,” he said. “There were children and adults, and they had to take cover as the shots rang out.”

The group of men left the scene of the second shooting in several vehicles, Wexler said.

Detective Sgt. William Rodriguez and Capt. Greg Miick assisted with several patrol officers.

Anyone with information about the shootings should call the Lakewood Detective Bureau at (732) 363-0200, ext. 5344.

APP