Crime & Safety

NJ Man Accused Of Fatally Shooting Child In Newark

Essex County Prosecutor: "It is particularly heinous when an innocent 9-year-old child loses their life."

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Dozens of community members gathered to release balloons in Yasin Morrison’s memory at an event organized by his family last weekend after the youth died in a shooting in Newark, NJ. Authorities announced an arrest in the case on Wednesday.
Dozens of community members gathered to release balloons in Yasin Morrison’s memory at an event organized by his family last weekend after the youth died in a shooting in Newark, NJ. Authorities announced an arrest in the case on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Bashir Muhammad Path Akinyele)

NEWARK, NJ — Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a shooting that killed a young child and wounded a man in Newark last week, authorities announced Wednesday.

Yasin Morrison, 9, died in a shooting that took place Friday around 5:30 p.m. on the 100-block of Osborne Terrace. As the autistic and non-verbal youth stepped out of an Uber – which he’d taken to his grandparents’ house along with his father and sister – he was caught in a crossfire of bullets that also grazed his dad, reports say.

A 36-year-old man was also found with a gunshot wound nearby, police said.

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A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the bereaved family raise money for funeral and memorial expenses. View it or make a donation online here.

As a police search continued, Essex County Sherriff’s Office offered a $10,000 reward for information that helps to apprehend the shooter.

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On Wednesday, authorities announced an arrest in the case.

Jesse J. Dunbar II, 36, of Newark, has been charged with murder (first degree), attempted murder (first degree), aggravated assault (second degree), unlawful possession of a weapon (second degree) and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose (second degree), according to a statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Newark Department of Public Safety.

“The killing of any persons is a tragic occurrence, but it is particularly heinous when an innocent 9-year-old child loses their life to all-too-common senseless violence,” Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said.

The shooting has ignited a massive show of solidarity and mourning in New Jersey’s largest city. See Related: Child’s Fatal Shooting Sparks Outrage, Mourning In Newark

A police investigation continues, authorities said. Anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

Newark police maintain a security cordon and presence as family members mourn and carry balloons in Newark, New Jersey on February 1, 2025, following a shooting that resulted in the death of a 9-year-old boy. (Photo: KYLE MAZZA/Shutterstock)

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