If you have driven down the 200 block of North 5th Street, it has the appearance of one of Newark's well-kept, quiet neighborhoods. Nestled in between the Route 280 entrances and a well-built children's park just to the east. Most of the neighborhood were well-decorated with Halloween door decorations that could rival and win any door decoration contest in the state.
What residents told us this morning was everything but nice, as one even went as far to say, "Don't let the trees fool you." Just after midnight, rapid gunfire, by what authorities say possibly came from a high-powered rifle, made its way down the street blasting round-by-round of bullets, shooting out car windows, tires, and even striking a house. Scores of police rushed to the scene and found bullet holes that pierced cars seats and flattened tires. Residents that started to morning worship were stunned by the broken-glass strewn block that disrupted the normal morning flow. Police left small "criminal complaint" notes on cars where they could not locate the owners. A family that stated they lived on the block for many years, whose car was damaged by bullets, told us that their church plans were cancelled for the day because of several of their tires were shot out.
As that family whose house was neatly decorated with Halloween decoration made their way back to the house, a little boy ran out the door after noticing the family car windows shot out, screamed out, "Daddy, can we use our car for the Halloween party next week? It looks really scary." The father cautiously smiled at the boy. There were no reported injuries.
RAPID GUNFIRE AWAKE RESIDENTS AND DESTROYS PROPERTY IN NEWARK'S NORTH WARD
Newark