Video Shows Murder, Carjacking Suspects Casing Short Hills Mall 3 Days Prior
SHORT HILLS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Newly-released video shows suspects making their getaway following a murder and carjacking at an upscale New Jersey mall.
The disturbing images reveal that Hoboken attorney Dustin Freidland was targeted and the suspects looked for other victims at The Mall at Short Hills.
As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported Thursday, chilling footage from three days before Friedland was murdered for his Range Rover shows the same carjackers in a Chevy Suburban following an identical SUV. In the video, a car cuts in, blocking the suspects' line of sight, possibly averting another tragedy.
Attorney Bruce Nagel, who is representing Friedland's widow, Jamie Schare-Friedland, said it should be a wake-up call for shoppers.
"They targeted vehicles in isolated areas, in the dark of night," Nagel said.
But on the night of the murder, the same carjackers in the Suburban circled a desolate parking lot at the mall, honing in on yet another Range Rover, Sloan reported.
"It shows this same vehicle on the premises driving around the parking lot and targeting a Range Rover. As you understand, the Range Rover is the car of choice and they wait in prey. When that owner doesn't come to the car, they then drive to the parking deck, where they are for over 12 minutes," Nagel said.
The video then shows the suspects leave and target Friedland as he gets into his car with his wife, Sloan reported. The Chevy Suburban is seen speeding away, followed by Friedland's Range Rover as the young attorney lay shot in the head inside the mall's parking deck.
"They knew there wasn't security because they were there three days earlier casing the property," Nagel said.
CBS2 reached out to the mall, which issued a statement saying it could not comment on pending litigation, but that safety is a top priority.
Nagel said none of the 19 decks have cameras or permanent guards. CBS2 did, however, see security guards roaming the premises.
One female shopper CBS2 spoke with said she does not feel safe at the mall at night.
Nagel, who is suing the mall on behalf of Schare-Friedland, said he fought in court to obtain the surveillance video because the mall did not want the public to see it.
He said it isn't about the money but saving another life.
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