By: Richard L. Smith
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is intensifying its search for a suspect responsible for the deadly shooting of a teenage boy in Newark on Wednesday night.
The tragic incident occurred around 9:57 p.m. in the 100 block of Ridgewood Avenue.
Responding to reports of gunfire, Newark Police arrived at the scene to find a dire situation.
According to residents who spoke with RLS Media, a group of about half a dozen individuals was gathered in the block when a vehicle drove by, unleashing a barrage of gunfire.
The young victim, identified by people in the community as 17-year-old Quran McClean of Newark, reportedly ran into a building after being hit. There, officers found him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
McClean was pronounced dead shortly after the shooting.
In a possible related development, earlier this morning, Newark Police officials reported that a second individual, a 23-year-old man also suffering from gunshot wounds, managed to reach University Hospital and is currently in critical condition.
This incident apparently occurred at the same time and location as the shooting of McClean.
While the Newark Police continue their investigation, it remains unclear if the two cases are connected.
The community is reeling from this violence, and officials urge anyone with information about the shooting or the suspect's whereabouts to come forward.