**"I didn't think the shots would ever stop. I counted at least 10 shots before I looked out the window and saw him there" (South 6th Street Resident)**
Residents in the 200 block of South 6th Streets were awaken to multiple rounds of gunfire that rang out early this morning in the city's West Ward.
A female resident who was just returning from her late night job said that she had just stepped foot in the house after a long evening on the job when at around 1:25 a.m., she hit the floor after hearing thunderous explosions of what she believed were multiple rounds of gunfire.
"I heard it before around here but never this many shots and never this loud and continuous" the resident said.
As the gunfire continued and the female resident stayed low to the floor in her apartment, she began dialing 911 in an attempt to get immediate help from police.
"I frantically dial 911 and never thought they would arrive" the resident said.
After the gunfire ceased in about 2-3 minutes, the woman reportedly rushed over to the window where she saw the body of what appeared at the time to be a male victim laying on the ground.
"I ran outside to see if I could help the person after I saw other people on the block beginning to make their way onto their porches" the resident said.
"My goodness, I never thought that human beings could treat another like this. The young man was shot multiple times as other residents kept telling him "stay awake, please stay awake" , the resident said.
Police rushed to the scene a short time later where they found the victim critically struck by gunfire.
EMS rushed the victim to University Hospital where he died a short time later.
"EMS worked really hard on him. It appeared that the EMT's were really desperate and wanted to see this kid alive as I watched them give him so many chest compressions. I figured that things were not good when they drove off with the lights off in the ambulance", the resident continued.
"It was like seeing your worst dream play out in real life. I wish I hadn't seen that", I wish I didn't see his young face laying there like that", the resident remorsefully said.
As investigator's combed through the area for hours looking for evidence and searched for a possible suspect, residents on South 6th Street never turned off lights in their houses as several looked out winows in an attempt to get a glipmse at any progress detectives were making.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office are handling the incident.
Stay with us for any additional details.