Officials: 3 dead, including child, in Newark shooting
NEWARK, N.J. -- Three people, including a child, were killed in a shooting in Newark on Wednesday, according to officials.
The shooting happened around 8:45 p.m. near Watson and Elizabeth avenues.
Police say multiple people were shot on Watson Avenue, including a child who was shot in the chest and taken to University Medical Center. The exact age of the child is unknown, but police say they are possibly around 7 years old.
The Essex County prosecutor's office confirmed three people were killed.
Mayor Ras Baraka released the following statement early Thursday morning:
"Tonight, there was a tragic shooting that left three people killed, including a child, and the perpetrator. Three people dead. It's tragic. This is the reason why we have to come together to deal with issues of mental health, drug abuse, anger, conflict, and all kinds of other issues that we see in our communities in general.
"This is why we have to continue our commitment to the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery and the ecosystem we built to remove the conditions of violence before they result in this kind of trauma.
"I offer my prayers and condolences to all the families involved."
Police had the entire block of Elizabeth between Meeker and Watson closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic while they investigated. Detectives were seen going in and out of one of the homes there, and a gun could be seen on the sidewalk.
It's not clear if there was one large crime scene or multiple scenes.
The state attorney general's office and the Essex County prosecutor's office are investigating.