3 Dead After ‘Tragic’ Shooting In Newark, Including Child (UPDATED)

NEWARK, NJ — Three people died by gunfire in Newark on Wednesday night, including a 7-year-old child, authorities said.

The New Jersey Attorney General's Office said Newark police responded to a 9-1-1 call about a shooting inside a home on the 300-block of Johnson Avenue at 8:34 p.m. When police entered the residence, they found a man dead from a gunshot wound and a boy who had been struck by gunfire. The child was transported to University Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 9:14 p.m.

A third victim, an adult male, also suffered a gunshot wound and was treated at Beth Israel Medical Center for non-fatal injuries, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Meanwhile, police encountered an adult male with a gun running away from the home where the victims had been shot. Several officers engaged in a foot pursuit, and two fired their weapons, fatally wounding the man.

The identities of the victims, suspected shooter and the officers are not being released at this time, authorities said.

State prosecutors noted that the investigation into the homicide at the Johnson Avenue residence is being conducted by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

No arrests have been made as of Thursday afternoon, county prosecutors said. Anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

Mayor Ras Baraka called the shooting “tragic” in a news conference on Thursday (watch the video below).

“This appears to be an isolated incident … it was not a targeted incident,” Baraka said. “The victims and the perpetrators knew each other.”

Three weapons were found at the scene. Based on ballistic evidence, it may be possible that the weapons were used in other crimes committed in the city, Baraka said.

“This is the reason why we have to come together to deal with issues of mental health, drug abuse, anger, conflict and all kinds of other issues that we see in our communities in general,” Baraka said.

“This is why we have to continue our commitment to the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery and the ecosystem we built to remove the conditions of violence before they result in this kind of trauma,” he continued. “I offer my prayers and condolences to all the families involved.”

• See Related: Newark Mom Lost 3 Sons To Violence. She's Helping Her City Fight Back

Wednesday’s shooting was the third multiple shooting the city has seen in less than three weeks.

A shooting in New Jersey’s largest city left one man dead and two others injured on April 30. Read More: 3 Shot In Newark, 1 Dies; No Arrests Made, Authorities Say

A shooting on April 15 killed one person and wounded three others. An arrest has since been made in that case, authorities said. Read More: Irvington Man Charged With Murder After Multiple Shooting In Newark

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