Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said on Friday, May 20, at approximately 10:10 p.m., an off-duty local municipal police officer was involved in an officer-involved shooting on Eckert Avenue in Newark.
While authorities said there have been no reported injuries at this time, two males were taken to the hospital suffering non-fatal bullet wounds after they were found several blocks away.
Officials have not confirmed if these gunshot victims were connected to the shooting that began as a reported carjacking.
The gunshot victims were found on Hedden Terrace.
The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as a Newark Police Officer on loan to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force.
The officer was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
The officer was subsequently discharged.
The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Office of Public Integrity and Accountability was immediately notified of the incident and directed the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor to conduct the investigation due to a conflict of interest, which is standard protocol.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Shooting Response Team is in the early stages of the investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.
All information will be kept confidential.