By: Richard L. Smith
Authorities in Newark are investigating the motive behind a shooting that erupted early this morning near a house of worship.
Gunfire broke out around 1:10 a.m. in the area of 252 South Orange Avenue, prompting officers to the scene, where they discovered shell casings.
Officers canvassing the neighborhood around the Masjid Muhammad Mosque and New Community Corporation properties did not locate any victims, but officials notified nearby University Hospital and other regional hospitals to be on the lookout for potential gunshot victims.
The Newark Shooting Response Team was called to assist in the investigation.
This incident comes in the wake of the tragic shooting at the early January start of 2024 when Imam Hassan Sharif was killed outside the same mosque around 6:15 a.m. while opening the mosque for Fajr, the first Islamic prayer of the day.
The gunman in that case fled the scene and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office is still working to find the person responsible for killing the prominent imam.
This morning's shooting remains under active and ongoing investigation as authorities work to determine the circumstances behind the gunfire.