Suspect arrested in shooting of 2 police officers in Newark
Police arrested a suspect Wednesday in the Tuesday shooting of two officers in Newark, New Jersey, prosecutors announced. The suspect has been identified as East Orange, New Jersey, resident Kendall Howard, 30, officials said.
Acting prosecutor Theodore N. Stevens said Wednesday that both officers are in stable condition and are expected to make full recoveries. One is expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday, while the other will remain hospitalized for a few more days to recover, Newark Director of Public Safety Fritz Frage. Both have been on the force for 1.5 years.
Stevens said Wednesday that Howard was taken into custody at approximately 11:10 a.m. following a search operation, which also included clearing all other residents from the building, that lasted more than seven hours. Howard is charged with two counts of attempted murder and two additional weapons charges.
An additional search warrant has been obtained to gather more evidence at the apartment building where Howard was arrested, Stevens said.
Newark Mayor Baraka said Tuesday night that the two wounded officers were responding to a call at an apartment building from someone who said they had identified the suspect in a shooting from several days earlier. Initial reports had indicated that the two officers were trying to serve a warrant when they were shot, but Stevens said Wednesday there was no indication that they had any sort of warrant. The officers did not find the suspect in the apartment building when they first arrived, but ran into him as they were leaving, Baraka said.
This led to a "brief altercation," and the man then took out a gun and shot the two officers at close range, Baraka said. Law enforcement sources had previously said the officers had been shot from either the roof or window of a building with a rifle. Baraka said he did "not suspect there was any long gun used in this."
The officers returned fire, Baraka said, and the suspect ran into the building.
One officer was struck in the neck and the other in the leg, a law enforcement source said.
Several officers and a civilian rushed to the aid of the two officers who had been shot, officials said Wednesday.
The building the suspect ran into is currently surrounded by law enforcement. Police on Tuesday night were still working to clear all the residents out of the building where they believe the suspect is. A SWAT team is at the scene, and the FBI is assisting in the investigation. Homeland Security and "anybody that you can think of" responded to the scene as well, Baraka said.
The shooting occurred around 2 p.m. ET in a residential area roughly three miles from the center of Newark, CBS New York reports.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy tweeted that he was aware and "monitoring" the incident as it unfolds.
"I am in touch with local authorities and the State is providing resources as requested," he wrote. "We will continue to support local law enforcement and ensure that all residents are safe."
Pat Milton contributed reporting.