Suspect in Wildwood shooting now in custody, police say

WILDWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- A man wanted for critically injuring an international student in Wildwood, New Jersey in a shooting is now in custody, according to police and the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office.

Law enforcement had been searching for William Hoyle, 40, after a woman was shot in the head outside the Cattle 'n Clover bar on Georgia Avenue the night of July 9, 2024.

Court documents say Hoyle had a handgun and was firing toward his intended target, a man whose identity has not been released.

"Hoyle was observed running after the victim, [redacted], while firing multiple rounds at him," an affidavit of probable cause filed in New Jersey courts says.

Then one of the shots struck a young woman who works for Morey's Piers. She was off-duty at the time, the company said.

The woman was rushed to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City and placed in critical condition.

The clothes Hoyle was seen wearing during the shooting were later found in a recycling bin behind a building on Pacific Avenue.

Detectives also obtained surveillance video from Pasta Pesto, a restaurant at Spicer and Atlantic avenues, showing Hoyle putting a handgun into a sewer drain near the scene.

Investigators later pulled a Polymer80 handgun with a high-capacity magazine from the drain.

Hoyle was also prohibited from possessing a handgun due to a prior criminal record, the document states.

Statements from Wildwood police say Hoyle was taken into custody on Thursday.

Court documents say Hoyle faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and multiple gun offenses.

This is a developing story and will be updated.