“We never see the police in this area until something bad happens. I don’t know what this was about but South 8th, 9th, and 10th streets have a bad drug trafficking problems.” -SOA Resident
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office now leads the investigation into a violent encounter that took the life of a Newark resident and injured two others in a Newark West Ward community marred by continued drug trafficking and abuse that results in often police activity.
Residents in the neighborhood deemed/named the section of South 10th Street and South Orange Avenue "The Four Corners of Hell" and within 4-5 square blocks around that section of South Orange Avenue -heading up to West Side High School and approaching University Hospital on the other end- there has been multiple confirmed homicides yearly.
On Monday, the residents' anxiety levels were high, as yet another man was executed in the neighborhood and in broad daylight.
According to a preliminary investigation at approximately 1:27 p.m., EMS on a separate assignment in the area of South 10th Street and South Orange Avenue notified dispatch after EMTs heard multiple rounds of gunfire near the intersection.
Rapid responding Newark West West Ward officers arrived and immediately taped off the area after finding about a dozen rounds of shell casings.
Police said three gunshot victims were located then rushed to University Hospital for treatment.
Authorities said the most severely injured victim, Mr. Frankie Fields, 30, was pronounced dead by doctors shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Detective for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office canvassed the area searching for evidence to support a motive for the shooting, but no suspects have been arrested.
Police believe that more than one person was firing weapons during the incident, but officials did not immediately confirm if Mr. Fields was engaged in a gunbattle. A gun was found near 377 South 10th Street.
“Living in this neighborhood and seeing what I've seen -for over 40 years-, the pain will never go away. I will have to live like this forever because rents are sky high to live anywhere else that better," the resident said.
While local politicians continue to push for legislators for funding to curb gun violence as a public health crisis in neighborhoods across the country where consistent shootings and deadly gunbattles occur, congress has been unable to pass new gun laws.
Residents have questioned why county and city officials haven't used stimulus funding to address systemic issues in underserved neighborhoods that have led young people to participate in gang and gun violence.
"It's been too long living here, and nothing has changed. I do not wish this on anybody. Yesterday it was Frankie's family grieving, but tomorrow it could be your family -or even me- because I've been walking to those corner stores forever."
Residents say they do not remember a year in over three decades where there hasn't been a shooting or violent crime in that section of the West Ward.
The motive for Monday's shooting has not been determined, and the condition of the other two victims has been reported as stable.