Family: If Asbury Park cameras worked, they’d have seen star athlete’s murder

The family of a star athlete from Asbury Park who was shot and killed Sunday says if the city's surveillance cameras were working, the fatal incident would have been recorded for evidence.

Family members of Jamar Small are now calling on Asbury Park officials to restore the cameras throughout the municipality.

The family, along with the National Action Network released a statement Tuesday expressing concern that the cameras have failed to record activity all over the city.

According to the statement, one of the non-working cameras is located in the area of Bangs and Prospect avenues, where Small and his brother were shot.

Nicolle Harris, spokesperson for the National Action Network, said the group has been appointed to represent the family.

"The family chooses at this time not to make any statements as they're still going through the grieving process, but they're greatly concerned that the camera wasn't working," Harris said.

She said the camera they're speaking of would have "been able to catch quite a bit of what happened." She added that this isn't the first time a camera failed to record a crime.

"This is not the first murder investigation where this has happened," Harris said, adding that they would like Asbury Park officials and police to look into the matter. "We want them to take a look at the situation with the surveillance cameras and we want to know how this can be fixed, because there needs to be some type of surveillance going on, particularly in areas where they know crimes are going to happen."

Small and his brother, Tykreek, were leaving a Summerfield Avenue house on Sunday afternoon when a shooter opened fire on the car in which they were riding. Small was pronounced dead. His brother was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and later released.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.