A convicted felon was arrested in the city’s West Ward last night by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.
According to authorities, officers were on proactive quality of life patrol Monday evening on 14th Avenue when they heard the discharge of three gunshot rounds in the area.
An immediate canvass of the area led detectives to the intersection of 14th Avenue and 14th Street where numerous local residents were seen running away from the area.
Sheriff Fontoura said., "As the neighbors ran from the scene many of them were shouting ‘he just shot the gun and there are kids everywhere.”
The suspect, later identified as Jakill Young, 26, of Newark, was observed by detectives walking along 14th Avenue while brandishing a silver handgun and carrying a black book bag.
Young ignored officers' commands to drop his weapon and instead ran through a nearby parking lot where he jumped over a fence.
As Young fled, he was observed throwing the gun and a book bag to the ground. After a brief foot chase, Young was taken into custody.
The handgun, a loaded, .38 caliber, Smith & Wesson revolver with three discharged shell casings and the book bag, containing an additional cache of illegal hollow point ammunition, was recovered.
Young was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of hollow point bullets and resisting arrest.
A canvass of the area for possible victims and damage from the gunfire yielded negative results.
Young was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing.