An exhausting overnight for investigators from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and local authorities as they attempt to piece together the motive for several separate Newark shootings that left five victims, three of them fatally.
The shooting carnage began midnight Wednesday morning when police responded to the 700 block of South 15th Street shortly after 12 a.m. for a report of shots fired.
Arriving officers found the victim, later identified as Donovan Younger, unconscious and unresponsive, according to a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Younger was pronounced dead a short time later.
Later in the evening, authorities said reports of shots fired that rang out in the 100 block of Mapes Ave. sent police to the scene investigating shortly before 7 p.m.
Arriving units located evidence that a shooting had occurred, but no victim.
A search of several blocks had officers locate the victim on Bergen and Renner Ave. suffering gunshot wounds to the legs. He was rushed to University Hospital where his injuries were not believed to be life threatening. A second victim was located a short time later on Mapes Ave. fatally injured.
In the city's West Ward, a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office told RLS Metro Breaking News that police responded to the 70's block of Valley Street on reports of shots fired that rang out at around 9:15 p.m.
Units arriving to the scene located a male victim suffering multiple gunshot wounds to the legs and back. He was rushed to University hospital where his injuries were not considered life threatening.
According to authorities, a thorough search of the area had police locate a male victim fatally shot multiple times in the 100 block of Alexander Street.
The identities of any of the victims have not been released at this time.
There have been no arrests reported.