2 Fatal Shootings In Newark Under Investigation: Prosecutor

NEWARK, NJ — Police are investigating two, unrelated fatal shootings that took place last weekend in Newark, authorities said.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, two shootings took place in Newark on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

The first happened around 11 p.m. on Saturday. Newark police officers were dispatched to the 300-block of South 9th Street on reports of shots fired. Arriving units located an unresponsive male – later identified as Rahman K. Branch, 39, of Newark – suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, prosecutors said.

Emergency responders transported Branch to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:31 p.m.

SHOOTING ON 7TH AVENUE

According to prosecutors, the second incident happened shortly after 2:30 a.m. Sunday on the 400-block of 7th Avenue. Newark police officers responding to the area on reports of shots fired found an unresponsive male within a vehicle at the intersection of 7th Avenue and North 12th Street.

The victim – later identified as Nathaniel Mickens, 32, of Newark – was suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:37 a.m., prosecutors said.

Both incidents, “which appear to be unrelated,” are being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, authorities said.

Anyone with information can call the prosecutor’s Tips Line at (877) 847-7432.

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