By: Richard L. Smith
A chaotic overnight pursuit kept Newark police busy as suspects involved in a string of armed robberies led officers on a high-speed chase across the city late Saturday night into early Sunday morning.
The pursuit began around 11:35 p.m. when officers were alerted to an armed robbery crew possibly involved in multiple incidents around the city. A black Mazda with New York license plates (LGZ-6088) was identified as the suspect vehicle.
When police attempted to initiate a stop, the driver refused to comply, launching a high-speed pursuit that wound through several city neighborhoods.
The situation escalated quickly as the suspects recklessly sped through city streets, eventually striking a pedestrian near I-280 just past Bridge Street. The condition of the pedestrian was not immediately released.
The pursuit spilled onto I-280 briefly before the suspects circled back into Newark near Essex County College.
Newarkâs NPD1 helicopter tracked the vehicle from the air as it sped through the West, East, and North Wards.
Around 12:25 a.m., the suspects abandoned the vehicle in the teen block of 13th Street and fled on foot. It was not immediately clear if any arrests were made.
Authorities have not released further details about the armed robberies that sparked the chase or confirmed whether the suspects are still at large. The Newark Department of Public Safety is continuing its investigation into the string of incidents, the crash, and the suspect vehicle.
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward as they work to bring those responsible into custody.