Newark Officials Plead For Healing In Wake Of Tragic Shooting

NEWARK, NJ — A tragic shooting in Newark has forever changed the lives of many people in New Jersey’s largest city, including the families of both the victim and the accused shooter, officials say.

A 14-year-old suspect has been accused of shooting two police officers on Friday night in Newark. Officer Joseph Azcona, 25, died, and the other officer is recovering in the hospital. The teen gunman was also wounded and hospitalized, authorities said.

>> Read More: Cop Fatally Shot In Newark, Teen Arrested (What We Know So Far)

On Monday, several Newark city officials issued a joint statement in the wake of the shooting: Newark Public Safety Deputy Mayor Lakeesha Eure, Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery Director Kyleesha Wingfield-Hill and Brick City Peace Collective Director Jessiah Paul.

Their full statement follows below:

“Today, all members of our public safety ecosystem wrestle with the heartbreak of the devastating tragedy that erupted last Friday evening. We mourn the loss of a dedicated police officer committed to the welfare of the people he served in his own hometown. We embrace his grieving family and his bereaved colleagues on the police force.

“We pray for the continued healing of his injured partner, and his family and loved ones, as they process the terror and struggle to make sense of it.

“We also grapple with the astonishing reality that a 14-year-old child was involved in this act of violence—and who, himself, has lost the life he dreamed of, led down a senseless path born of systemic injustice and generational trauma. We mourn the shattered childhood of his friends and classmates, and agonize with his family, which will never be the same.

“All this harm and hurt culminates in more trauma than any community should have to bear. And yet, in our sorrow, we vow to come together in even greater unity – to reflect deeply and arrive at clarity and insight. We vow to emit lovingkindness and compassion; to reach out with healing hands and wholesome words that nurture each other toward a future where such tragedies no longer occur.

“Newark’s strength has always lain in collaboration, partnership and collective healing. Today is no different. We will continue working with our partners in law enforcement, community organizations, and residents, to foster solutions that prevent violence before it begins. More than ever, we resolve to support one another with compassion and resilience and to fully restore our community to harmony and peace.”

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