Police in Newark officially charged two adults and one juvenile with a gun battle that forced residents to run from the courtyard of a housing complex then hide anywhere inside their hopes to duck from bullets on Sunday evening.
According to a statement released by police, in the evening hours of June 16, police responded a Shot Spotter notification in the Bradley Court area and came upon six young men running from the scene.
Police say upon arrival, they noticed homes and vehicles in the area were damaged by bullets.
According to Newark Police, officers canvassing the area for victims recovered three guns.
Police say, Mr. Hanee Brinson, 18, of Newark, Mr. Rashul Sabir, 18, of Newark and a 17-year-old juvenile were arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose announced that the Police Division recovered 14 weapons in the last week either responding to crimes in progress, shots fired, or the arrests of people involved in drug trade.
“We are committed to getting weapons used for unlawful purposes off the street,” Ambrose said. “As I’ve said before, every gun we recover means we’ve saved at least one life.”
Police say on June 14, an investigation into Fentanyl mill led to the recovery of two guns hidden on the premises and a large amount of Fentanyl, bath salts and marijuana.
On the same day, a CrimeStoppers tip came in about a male with an orange vest carrying a gun on the 300 block of South Orange Avenue.
Several minutes later, police arrested Mr. Steven Boatwright, 54, of Irvington who admitted he had a gun on him when questioned. Police recovered a gun reported as stolen out of Georgia.
Police say, Mr. Jamal Holden, 43, of Newark was also arrested on June 14, after another CrimeStoppers tip told of a man with a gun on a bicycle near Frelinghuysen Avenue and McClellan Street.
As police cornered Holden, he fled on his bicycle but was apprehended within minutes without incident. Police recovered a handgun and Holden was charged.
Later than evening, Mr. Shakir Hartfield-Leggett, 26 of Irvington, also tried to run from police when detained for suspicion of carrying a gun.
Hartfield-Leggett was apprehended on the 100 block of Dickerson Street after a foot chase and a loaded handgun reported stolen out of Tallahassee, Fla. was recovered.
Police say on the morning of Sunday, June 16, police responded to a citizen complaint about three men acting suspiciously in a building on the 100 block of N. 6th Street.
Police found a black bag among trash in the back of the building belonging to Mr. Emmanuel Castro, 23, of Newark with a loaded handgun in it, which was reported stolen out of Reading, Pa.
“These cases prove our residents are our best partners in keeping the city safe,” Ambrose said.