By: Richard L. Smith
Newark's New Year celebrations were marred by a shooting incident at Club LaRouge, located just a block from City Hall in the downtown area, in the early hours of January 1.
The incident, which occurred just before 3 a.m., turned a festive night into a scene of chaos.
Witnesses at the club said that the event was proceeding joyfully until someone was discovered shot inside the venue.
Upon their arrival, police found an injured male victim with a bullet wound near the bar area.
Immediate CPR was administered to the victim, who was then rushed to University Hospital.
As of 7:15 a.m., the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the victim's condition was non-fatal.
The shooting at Club LaRouge was part of a night of unrest in Newark. After midnight, police responded to several reports of shots fired around the city, prompting them to put the NPD1 helicopter on standby to help manage the situation.
Currently, the investigation into the motive and circumstances at Club LaRouge shooting is active and ongoing.
