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Naked man's rampage linked to dispute over money
A dispute over money may have set in motion the chain of events that ended with police shooting a naked, knife-wielding man to death in South Camden on Monday morning as he assaulted a female police officer.
Officials with the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said the dead man, Lamont Morton, apparently had gotten into a quarrel with William Custis early Monday morning and then went on a rampage.
Morton, 19, was shot and killed by one of several Camden officers responding to a 911 call.
Why Morton was out in the street naked with a knife and why he allegedly charged at a female police officer who tried to arrest him remain unanswered questions.
Morton was living with an aunt and several other people at 946 Morton St., authorities said. Residents of the property, including his aunt, have declined to comment.
Jason Laughlin, a spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, said investigators were awaiting the results of a toxicology report that was part of an autopsy performed to determine if drugs played a role in the incident.
Morton was shot several times as he grappled with Officer Ramonita Rivera, 45, near the corner of 10th and Morton Streets about 8 a.m. Monday.
Rivera, a 15-year veteran and one of the first officers at the scene, was shot four times. She suffered a graze wound to the forehead, two shots to the right shoulder and a shot to the left forearm. She was listed in stable condition at Cooper University Hospital yesterday.
How Rivera was shot and by whom remain part of the investigation, the prosecutor's office said.
Preliminary reports indicate that Rivera fired several shots at Morton after he charged her. At some point, he managed to gain control of her weapon.
Another officer, Dexter Miller, fired several shots at Morton, killing him.
"Officer Miller's quick action ended a potentially life-threatening situation for a fellow officer," according to an account of the incident released yesterday by the prosecutor's office.
As is standard practice, Miller, 42, is on paid administrative leave until the investigation is completed.
Detectives with the Homicide Unit of the Prosecutor's Office and the Camden Police Department's Internal Affairs Unit were trying to piece together details of the case yesterday.
Morton had moved into the home on Morton Street several months ago, after the death of his mother, according to a friend of the family. He had two prior brushes with the law, according to the prosecutor's office.
He was arrested in July 2006 on robbery, criminal mischief and burglary charges. The robbery and burglary charges were later dropped and he pleaded guilty to a criminal-mischief charge.
In October, he was charged with aggravated assault, but that charge was later downgraded to a lesser offense to which he also pleaded guilty.
Authorities believe Monday's incident began when Morton got into a dispute with Custis over an undetermined amount of cash. Custis, 33, and Morton's aunt are the parents of one of the young children living at 946 Morton St.
Authorities said Morton stabbed Custis in the shoulder during the quarrel, but was subdued by others in the house who took the knife away from him. A short time later, they believe, Morton got another knife and, for reasons that remain unclear, stripped off his clothes and ran into the street.
Morton allegedly went onto the porch of another home in the block and drove his knife through the glass storm door, shattering it. He then headed toward the corner of 10th and Morton and the confrontation with police that ended in his death.
Contact staff writer George Anastasia at 856-779-3846 or ganastasia@phillynews.com.
Contact staff writer George Anastasia at 856-779-3846 or ganastasia@phillynews.com.
