By: Richard L. Smith
As Newark continues to grieve the tragic loss of a 10-year-old boy and a 21-year-old woman in Saturday’s violent shooting on Chancellor Avenue, rumors of arrests have quickly spread across social media, creating confusion in a community searching for answers.
RLS Media has spent the last day confirming information with law enforcement officials to give residents a clearer, fact-based picture of what is actually known at this hour.
Here is what we know:
The deadly shooting happened around 7 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Chancellor Avenue.
Five people were struck by gunfire during what investigators described as a violent and unprovoked attack.
Ten-year-old Jordan Garcia and 21-year-old Kiyah Mae Scott were rushed to University Hospital, where both were pronounced dead.
Three others survived: Jordan’s 11-year-old brother, who remains in stable condition; 60-year-old Sheppard Miller, also in stable condition; and 19-year-old Masi Rogers, who continues to fight for his life in critical condition.
In the days since the shooting, unverified claims have circulated online suggesting that police made arrests connected to the killings.
As of 10:35 a.m. Tuesday morning, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has not confirmed any arrests directly tied to Saturday’s attack.
However, there was a police pursuit on Monday afternoon that added to the confusion.
Just before 3:45 p.m., Newark officers spotted a vehicle that matched the description of a car believed to be involved in the Chancellor Avenue shooting.
When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver sped off, leading police on a pursuit that ended when the car crashed on the First Street ramp to I-280 in the North Ward.
Three individuals inside the car ran from the scene but were quickly caught after a brief foot chase.
Police recovered weapons inside the vehicle, but as of this morning, investigators have not confirmed whether those weapons are connected to the Chancellor Avenue homicide.
At this time, the individuals taken into custody are being held on charges related to receiving stolen property, weapons possession eluding police—not homicide.
This distinction is important because it clarifies why no official confirmation has been issued tying these individuals to Saturday’s deadly shooting.
Detectives are still working to determine whether the vehicle, the weapons found inside, or the passengers have any connection at all to the attack that claimed the lives of young Jordan Garcia and Kiyah Mae Scott.
The investigation remains active, ongoing, and complex.
Officials continue to interview witnesses, review surveillance footage, and analyze ballistic evidence.
Despite widespread speculation, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has not confirmed that this case is closed from an arrest point of view.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC.
All calls will remain confidential.