The Essex County Prosecutor's Office has confirmed their involvement in several violent overnight shooting encounters that sent four people to the hospital with one of the victims suffering fatally.
According to preliminary reports, the violent episodes began when gunfire rang out in the vicinity of Bergen and West Runyon streets just before 6 p.m. where officers raced to the scene and found evidence that a shooting occurred, but after officers searched the area, they did not locate a victim.
A short time later, police were directed to the 100 block of Seymour Avenue where they found a female struck by at least one bullet. Police believe that the woman suffered her injury at the Bergen Street crime scene according to reports.
EMS transported the unidentified woman to the hospital where she suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The suspect is at-large, and the motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
In another shooting incident -that appeared unrelated to Bergen Street- gunfire rang out in the vicinity of 180 12th Avenue, at around 7:30 p.m., sending police to the scene where they found a male struck by bullets at that location.
EMS transported the unidentified victim the short distance to University Hospital where police officials did not immediately confirm life-threatening injuries.
Police searched the area for a suspect, but there were no arrests reported.
Newark West Ward police officials notified the Essex County Prosecutor's Office for their assistance after an apparent gun battle ended with a male losing his life on a street in that section of the city on Friday night.
Residents in the 100 block of Brookdale Avenue scrambled for cover -anywhere that they could find it- after gunmen arrived in the area just before 7:55 p.m. and began to fire at unknown targets during their quest to cause terror and carnage in that community.
Officers swiftly descended on the area and immediately took control/secured the neighborhood officials said.
Police searching the area found an unconscious and unresponsive male lying on the ground severely injured in the vicinity of Lindsley and Brookdale.
Police say EMS transported a second victim to University Hospital suffering a non-fatal gunshot injury to the hip. The patient is expected to recover according to officials.
To close the evening, Newark South Ward police officials requested a crime scene to the 200 block of Chadwick Avenue after a gunman opened fire in the area just before 10:30 p.m.
Police officials arrived then conducted a search of the area but could not find a victim or suspect according to preliminary reports.
The motive for all of Friday evening shootings have not been released at this time.