By: Richard L. Smith
In a heartbreaking act of violence, 9-year-old Yasin Morrison was fatally shot in Newark’s South Ward on January 31, 2025, while simply following his daily routine.
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Authorities are now searching for the suspect responsible for the senseless shooting, which also left a man wounded.
A Tragic Evening Unfolds
Shortly before 5 p.m., Newark’s ShotSpotter system detected nearly a dozen rounds of gunfire near the intersection of Osborne Terrace and Yates Avenue.
Police officers rushed to the scene, where they discovered an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds—and Yasin, lifeless, struck twice in the torso by stray bullets.
Despite their immediate response, officers were unable to save him. Yasin was rushed to University Hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival.
A Routine Visit Turns to Tragedy
The evening began like any other for Yasin. The fourth-grader, nonverbal and autistic, thrived on structure and routine.
His father, Savon Morrison, had picked him up from Louise A. Spencer Elementary School in a Lyft, as he often did, to visit his grandmother’s house in the Osborne Terrace neighborhood.
Inside the vehicle with them was Yasin’s 3-year-old sister, excited for an evening with family. But as the Lyft pulled up to their destination, gunfire erupted.
Yasin’s father had already stepped out of the car with the toddler when the shots rang out. He instinctively tried to push his son back into the car for safety, but it was too late.
“I tried to push Yasin back into the vehicle when I heard the gunfire, but when I looked, I noticed bullets had struck him,” Sayvon Morrison told RLS Media. “It was heartbreaking that I couldn’t save my son.”
A Mother’s Unbearable Grief
Yasin’s mother, Alexus McGhee, now faces the unimaginable pain of losing her child in an instant.
“He was a good kid,” she said.
“One of six of my children. I’m just trying to go day by day. I don’t understand how I go from getting my child ready for school in the morning to learning that he’s dead in the evening. It makes no sense.”
Yasin’s family described him as a sweet, loving boy who adored visiting his grandmother, going to the park, and exploring the zoo. His loss has left them shattered.
Community Outrage and Search for the Suspect
News of Yasin’s death has sent shockwaves through the community, with neighbors and officials expressing grief and frustration over the continued cycle of gun violence that too often claims innocent lives.
In an effort to bring the perpetrator to justice, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office has announced a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. 
Authorities urge anyone with information to step forward by calling 1-877-TIPS-4-EC
As the investigation continues, Yasin’s family and the Newark community are left mourning a young life stolen far too soon—yet another child in Newark lost to the senseless violence that has become all too familiar.