Newark has seen a string of shootings within the last 48 hours leaving residents concerned as the city deals with a surge of violence since 167 police officers were laid off on Nov. 30th.
Shootings in Newark rocks the community
This morning, only a few feet away from a memorial set up from another murder, a young man and woman were shot on Clifton Place and Aldine Street in the city’s South Ward. The two entered into a nearby store looking for help indicating they were shot.
On Thursday, three people, two who were teenagers, were killed during an explosion of gunfire that left four others wounded in two incidents that were 90 minutes apart.
As of yet, authorities have not been able to identify a motive in either attacks.
The city is dealing with a burst of violence in the wake of massive police layoffs. The string of shooting came just hours after state Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) called on Attorney General Paula Dow and the Legislature to help combat violent crime in Essex County. – NJ.COM
There have been several violent occurrences since Booker laid off 167 police officers on Nov. 30. Last weekend, the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy capped a three-day span that included six shootings and seven carjackings.
Overall crime in Newark is up by 7 percent from last year, according to statistics posted on the police department’s website, and there have been 84 homicides in the city this year, four more than all of 2009.
