A shooting incident in Newark on Wednesday, May 3 resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including a child.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office reported that police responded to a shooting at an apartment on Johnson Avenue in Newark shortly after 8:30 p.m. on May 3.
Upon arrival, officers encountered an armed man who fled from the residence, leading to a pursuit. Two officers discharged their weapons during the encounter, fatally shooting the suspect.
Inside the apartment, authorities discovered two men who had been shot, including a 27-year-old man who died due to his injuries. An eight-year-old boy was also struck by gunfire. Police say that the suspect deliberately targeted the child, shooting him in the chest while the boy’s mother tried to shield him. The mother managed to survive by jumping out of a window, but the child was transported to University Hospital, where he later died.
Surveillance footage captured police activity in the backyard. Police sources indicate that the suspect fired shots at the officers, and the police union said that the officers’ actions were necessary to prevent further casualties.
According to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, authorities discovered drugs and weapons linked to other crimes at the scene.
Mayor Baraka said that the gunman and the victims were acquainted. He blamed the violence on too many guns on the streets.
“When we get to a point where we can’t protect our children, then we are in a very volatile and difficult place,” he said.
The Attorney General’s Office is examining the deadly shooting. The results of this investigation must be presented to a grand jury, which will determine whether the evidence warrants an indictment against the officers involved.
