Atlantic City Man Sentenced for Attempted Murder of Atlantic City Police Officer

Published June 25, 2009

An Atlantic City man was sentenced Thursday to 16 ½ years in prison for the 2007 attempted murder of an Atlantic City police officer and resisting arrest, Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel announced.

In addition, Daron Downing, 20, must serve four years in prison to run concurrent for resisting arrest. Downing must serve 85 percent of the prison term before eligibility, Assistant Prosecutor Erin M. Bisirri, who handled the State’s case, said.

The sentencing Thursday was a result of a June 8, 2009 plea agreement before Superior Court Judge Albert Garofolo.

On Dec. 27, 2007 at 11:49 a.m., Atlantic City Detectives Darryl Dabney, Chris Barber, and Michael Tracy were working in plain clothes in the area of Ohio and Hummock Avenues in Atlantic City, when they observed Downing standing outside of a car with a marijuana blunt in his hand.

The detectives approached Downing with police identification badges and verbally identified themselves to Downing as police officers. The suspect fled with officers in pursuit. As he was running, Downing reached into his waistband and pulled out a gun. Downing then turned towards the detectives and from approximately 15 feet away fired four shots at them. No one was injured in the incident.

The detectives continued pursuit of Downing and successfully apprehended him. The detectives recovered a .38 caliber handgun that Downing discarded during the foot chase. He was arrested and charged with the crimes and has remained in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending further proceedings. An Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted Downing in connection with the crimes on Feb. 14, 2008.

Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.