MAPLEWOOD, NJ — On Saturday, March 12, at approximately 3:45 p.m., the Maplewood Police Department’s dispatch received multiple calls of gunshots in the 80 block of Tiffany Place, according to a March 13 press release from the department. As a result, officers responded to the area and located a female standing near a Honda Accord, which had heavy front-end damage. It was obviously involved in an accident with another vehicle and no longer operational.
During the check of the area, officers located a shell casing on Tiffany Place and immediately shut down the roadway while they continued to search the area. A thorough search of the area produced four suspicious males standing on the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Elmwood Terrace. At that point, officers converged on the area and detained the males. Officers immediately began speaking with the males, at which point one of the males advised officers that the other three males stopped were in the rear of his residence and upon them noticing him, they fled toward Elmwood Terrace. He further advised officers that he followed them to determine what was happening.
The officers noticed that the other three males were injured and determined it was from gunshot wounds. Immediately thereafter, emergency medical services responded to the scene and transported the males to University Hospital in Newark along with MPD officers. The injuries were determined to be non–life-threatening.
The MPD Detective Bureau was notified and responded to the scene to begin the investigation into this incident. During the investigation, it was revealed that these three males were seen fleeing from the Honda Accord after the shooting. Officers were able to confirm that the Honda Accord was traveling east on Tiffany Place when it was involved in an accident with a dark-colored BMW SUV. According to police, a male exited the passenger seat of the dark-colored BMW and began firing shots into the Honda.
According to police, the shooting victims did not wish to discuss this incident with officers. One of the males agreed to speak with officers, but only provided limited information. The driver of the Honda stated that there was a fifth person, a female, inside of the car at the time of the shooting, but did not know the female’s name nor where she lived. Officers were unable to locate any additional people involved in this incident during their canvass of the area. Officers were assisted by the Essex County Sheriff Department, who responded to the area with a K9 dog trained to search for weapons, with negative results.
Detectives processed the crime scene and recovered several 9mm shell casings. No weapon has been recovered at this time.
“Detectives will continue to investigate the shooting incident even though the victims have failed to provide information related to the investigation,” MPD Chief Jimmy DeVaul said. “We have determined there is no nexus to Maplewood or the immediate area. The occupants are not from the area and did not know where they were at the time of the accident and subsequent shooting. It is believed that they were being followed for some time prior to the shooting incident. It is unknown if the parties know each other. Detectives will continue canvassing the area for witnesses and video. We ask for cooperation from the public to provide whatever information or assistance they can provide. There is no reason to believe any further danger exists in regard to this incident. There will be an increased police presence in the area.”
Contact Detective Lt. Michael Palmerezzi at 973-761-7913 or mpalmerezzi@twp.maplewood.nj.us to provide information or video.
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