Officials said the victim remained in critical but stable condition after the East Main Street shooting.
FREEHOLD, N.J. — The Freehold Borough Public Library remained closed Friday after a man was shot inside the downtown building Thursday afternoon, prompting a major investigation by borough police and county prosecutors.
The shooting disrupted a central public space on East Main Street and left the victim in critical but stable condition. Authorities said the incident appeared isolated and that there was no known continuing threat. They had not announced an arrest or released the victim’s identity by Friday.
The gunfire was reported at about 4:21 p.m. Thursday inside the library. Police said a male victim suffered at least one gunshot wound and was taken to a nearby hospital. Witnesses told local reporters they heard shots around 4 p.m. and then saw emergency crews remove the victim from the building on a stretcher.
Elizabeth Porshay, who works nearby, said the sound stood out because it happened in the middle of the day. “It was very strange that this happened inside a library,” Porshay said. “Very scary.” Another woman, Nashay Richardson, said she knew the victim from childhood and did not know why anyone would shoot him.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Freehold Borough Police Chief Christopher Colaner said detectives were following leads. “Our detectives are working around the clock, actively pursuing every lead, and are committed to holding the individuals involved accountable,” the officials said in a joint statement.
The library announced that staff members were safe and said the building was expected to stay closed until Monday. Crime scene cleanup crews were inside Friday. Investigators were also expected to review available surveillance video from cameras near the building, though authorities did not say whether video had captured the shooting or the suspect.
The case is being handled by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and the Freehold Borough Police Department. Officials asked people with information to contact Detective Kayla Santiago at the prosecutor’s office or Detective Samuel Hernandez with borough police.
As of Friday, no charges had been announced. The next public update is expected to come from investigators as they determine who fired the shots and what led to the violence inside the library.
Author note: Last updated May 1, 2026.