NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose announced July 6 that authorities are investigating three unrelated fatal shootings in Newark that occurred on July 4 and 5.
The first incident occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4. Newark police officers were dispatched to the intersection of 16th and Fairmount avenues on report of a shooting in progress. Arriving officers located a male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim, who has been identified as Dacraig D. Johnson, 25, of Newark, was transported to University Hospital. Johnson subsequently succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 2:47 p.m. on Thursday, July 5, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly of the Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit.
The second incident occurred Thursday, July 5. Shortly after 10 p.m., Newark officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 100 block of Brunswick Street. Arriving officers located an unresponsive male in a parking lot behind a building. The male was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:10 p.m., according to Fennelly.
The third incident occurred at approximately 10:15 p.m. in the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue on Thursday, July 5. Newark officers responded to that location on reports of a shooting. The arriving officers observed two males suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to University Hospital, where one of the males was pronounced dead at 11:04 p.m. The identity of this victim is being withheld pending notification to next of kin, according to Fennelly. The second victim from this incident is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
All three incidents are being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department. The investigations are active and ongoing, according to Fennelly.
Anyone with information is asked to call the prosecutor’s tips line at 877-847-7432.
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