Police in Newark conducted a shots-fired investigation near a school in the city’s Central Ward this afternoon.
According to preliminary reports, school security at the New Horizon Charter school contacted police after they reportedly heard loud popping noises outside of the building that resembled gunfire in the area of 14th Avenue and Hayes Street just before the school’s departure.
Witnesses immediately told police that there were no shots fired in the area and the loud noises were the results of people in the area playing with ’roman candle’ fireworks.
Police arrived at the scene and checked the area before lifting the lockdown about 15 minutes later.
The incident remains under investigation.