Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II has announced that authorities are investigating an incident in which a male was fatally shot in East Orange on Wednesday.
According to a statement released by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, at approximately 5:20 pm, East Orange police officers responded to the 100 block of Evergreen Place on reports of a shooting in progress.
Police say arriving officers located an unresponsive male within a parked vehicle near the Ramada Hotel.
Police identified the man as Archie C. Crooks, 39 of Avenel, NJ, who was pronounced dead at the scene a
Police say as officers were arriving at the shooting location, they observed a Nissan Altima leaving the area.
Officers reportedly followed the vehicle a short distance into Newark, at which time the driver was arrested.
Police identified the driver As Dwayne Little-John, 39 of Newark.
Police charged Little-John with conspiracy to commit murder and eluding the police.
Little-John has been lodged in the Essex County Correctional Facility, pending an appearance in the Essex County Central Judicial Processing Court, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly, of the Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit.
This homicide is being investigated by detectives from the Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
At this point in the investigation, authorities believe this is an isolated incident, according to Fennelly.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Prosecutor's Tips Line at (877) 847-7432.