By: Richard L. Smith
Essex County authorities are investigating a shooting that left a male seriously injured in Newark’s Central Ward this afternoon.
Police are trying to determine if two of today’s nearby shooting incidents are connected.
In one of the shootings, officers responded to reports of shots fired near 17 Winans Avenue around 3:17 p.m.
Units arrived at the scene and found a male inside a vehicle suffering a bullet in his head. He was rushed to University Hospital for treatment while police canvassed the area for additional victims.
In the other incident, at approximately 2:30 p.m., police raced to the area of 16th Avenue and Jacob Street after a ShotSpotter device activated detecting multiple rounds.
Officer arrived at the scene and found a vehicle shot up at that location.
While police searched the neighborhood, officials at University Hospitals alerted police of a walk-in gunshot victim.
Both shootings are under an active and ongoing investigation.
No arrests have been reported.