By: Richard L. Smith
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has taken the lead in investigating a violent shooting at Metcalf Park in Orange that left one man dead and another injured.
The incident occurred on Thursday, September 12, around 8:35 p.m., near the playground and baseball field at the intersection of Valley Street and Morris Street.
According to preliminary information, RLS Media obtained the information while visiting the neighborhood; Orange Police officers patrolling the 700 block of Valley Street heard multiple rounds of gunfire and immediately called for backup while rushing to the scene.
Within minutes, officers arrived and observed a man dressed in dark clothing and wearing a mask attempting to flee toward a vehicle parked near Argyle Avenue.
Residents told RLS Media that they heard from their homes officers identifying themselves and shouting for the suspect to stop, but the man ignored the commands and entered a light-colored vehicle later confirmed to be stolen from Hudson County.
The suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Mr. Brandon D. Beasley, led officers on a dangerous high-speed chase through Orange, East Orange, and South Orange, recklessly driving the wrong way on streets near I-280.
According to reports, the pursuit ended in front of 127 Lincoln Avenue when Beasley crashed into a parked car and attempted to escape on foot.
Officers managed to apprehend him in the parking garage of the Essex and Crane apartment complex. A loaded weapon was recovered nearby.
At Metcalf Park, officers found two victims. One man was lying on the baseball field, bleeding from a gunshot wound to his leg, while another male victim suffered a non-life-threatening wound to his hand.
We learned that multiple shell casings were recovered at the scene.
On Monday evening, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly confirmed to RLS Media that the deceased victim was 28-year-old Mr. DeAndre Smith.
Smith was rushed to University Hospital for treatment and succumbed to his injuries on Sunday at 7:26 p.m. Chief Fennelly said.
Despite the life-saving efforts of Orange Police officers who found Smith, his wounds proved too severe.
While the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has yet to provide details on an arrest, RLS Media, through initial county public records, has confirmed that Beasley is facing multiple charges, including murder, aggravated assault, and even providing a false name to police.
According to reports, Beasley allegedly approached the victims at the park, produced a firearm, and fired nearly a dozen rounds for reasons that remain unclear.
A bullet struck a nearby home on Valley Street, though no one inside was injured.
Orange Police are credited for their swift response and quick capture of Beasley. Public records show that Orange has maintained relatively low violent crime rates, with Smith’s death believed to be the city’s first homicide in 2024.
The investigation remains ongoing, with ECPO detectives still working to determine a motive for the shooting.