Mayor Ras Baraka Says Newark In 'State Of Emergency' After Bloody Weekend
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The mayor of Newark announced expanded police patrols Monday and other measures aimed at reducing violence after a holiday weekend in which 11 shootings killed three people and wounded several others.
Mayor Ras Baraka said at a news conference that more officers would be put on patrol and that shifts would be extended from 10 hours to 12 hours.
"I am taking this as a state of emergency in the city of Newark," the mayor told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Rebecca Granet. "We are going to respond like it's a state of emergency in this city immediately."
Mayor Ras Baraka Says Newark In 'State Of Emergency' After Bloody Weekend
Baraka and his police director, Eugene Venable, have outlined a plan effective immediately that includes opening a new police precinct in the Central Ward, increasing patrols in hot spot areas and focusing on investigations into narcotics, which officials said often lead to violent crime.
"Less than one percent are creating this drama in our city, and we, today, are going to go after that one percent," Baraka said, WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported.
"We are going to do everything we need to do to restore order and to bring this city to peace," Venable added.
Mayor Ras Baraka Says Newark In 'State Of Emergency' After Bloody Weekend
Newark had 111 murders last year, the first time the number had surpassed 100 in six years.
With 84 murders so far this year, the city is on pace to have a reduction, though Baraka said that is of little comfort to friends and relatives of those slain. He said the targeted nature of the majority of the killings does little to change perceptions.
"No one is running around shooting people aimlessly,'' he said. "These have been targeted hits or based on arguments between individuals. Though it's not random, people still feel impacted. They feel their neighborhood is not safe.''
On Sunday, 25-year-old Jamil Harris of Newark was killed and two people were wounded.
A day earlier, 23-year-old Zaire Williams of Irvington was found dead from a gunshot wound on South 20th Street.
About 2 1/2 hours later, police found four shooting victims on South Orange Avenue. Thirty-six-year-old Lisa Parker of Orange was pronounced dead. The other three were in stable condition.
The shootings happened all near the same area. Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose said it remains unclear if the shootings are related.
There was also a shooting Monday morning, Granet reported.
The Essex County Sheriff's Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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