Woman Shot, Killed During Thanksgiving Day Carjacking In Newark
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Authorities say they have detained two men and a 15-year-old boy found riding in an SUV that was stolen from a woman who was shot and killed during a Thanksgiving Day carjacking.
Essex County prosecutors said the trio was detained Friday morning, 12 hours after the carjacking occurred. Their names have not been released and no charges have been filed.
Authorities said police spotted the SUV and saw four people get out. They captured three of them after a brief foot chase, but the fourth person got away.
Shuri Henry, 40, of Newark, was shot in front of her home shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday on the 300 block of South 20th Street as she returned from Thanksgiving dinner. She was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the victim's family. To lose a family on any day is a traumatic experience with the loss particularly disturbing on a holiday when families get together to celebrate and enjoy one another's company," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement. "We will work tirelessly with the Essex County Prosecutor's Homicide Task Force and leave no stone unturned as we pursue the cowards responsible for this heinous crime. These cowards should have been at home with their families instead of out on the streets committing crimes."
Henry's uncle, Curtis Cottle, told CBS2's Valerie Castro his last words to her were "get home safe."
"I got a call around 12-o-clock that she was shot," he said. "It's just, it's a lot."
Friends say Henry was a community activist who was honored by the Boys and Girls Club for decades of service.
"She was a very warm, caring person," longtime friend Lyndon Brown said.
A few years ago, she returned to her childhood home to care for her ailing mother, who died of cancer over the summer. She never married or had children but was very close with her nephews.
"She was a very doting aunt, she was always at her nephews' football games, at their PTA nights," Brown said.
One of those nephews was in the SUV with Henry.
"He's home safe, thank god. Thank god nothing happened to him," Cottle said. "He's 10 years old, he's traumatized."
Her family says the holiday will never quite be the same.
"Thanksgiving -- you would never, never think of something happening like this," said Cottle.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Homicide Task Force at 1 (877) TIPS-4EC or 1(877) 847-7432.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)