The driver of a mangled silver Ford Expedition was struck in the hail of bullets at around 3 p.m. on Monday, but he managed to drive his three wounded passengers two miles to a nearby Wawa gas station for help.
The vehicle was riddled with more than a dozen bullet holes and shot-out windows. It was also missing a rear tire when the driver made it to the gas station in Egg Harbor.
"The driver said he was shot," Erwin Ashworth said. "The passenger was hanging from the window. ... He said everybody was shot at least a couple times."
Meanwhile, a silver Nissan connected to the shooting was found along the Garden State Parkway with one passenger fatally shot in the head. The driver was not hurt, the New York Daily News reported.
Investigators believe the men in both vehicles knew each other and the attack was not random.
It’s unclear who was responsible for the gunfire and whether there was an outstanding suspect. The victims were not immediately identified.
State police Capt. Stephen Jones said police were investigating whether a third car was involved in the shooting based on witness tips.
"If this in fact was a moving situation where gunfire was being aimed at cars that were moving, (it was) obviously extremely dangerous to everyone involved, not just the intended targets," Jones said.
Weapons believed used in the shooting were found near the site of one attack, police said.
No other vehicles were shot at during the shootout.