By: Richard L. Smith
Authorities have identified the two men killed in a double shooting Sunday night near the North Arlington-Kearny border as investigators continue working to determine what led to the deadly gunfire.
According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, the shooting occurred at approximately 8:37 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, near the intersection of Ridge Road and Belleville Turnpike, where Ridge Road becomes Kearny Avenue at the municipal border.
North Arlington police officers, assisted by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Kearny Police Department, Lyndhurst Police Department, and members of the Bergen County Rapid Deployment Team, arrived to find two adult men suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victims were identified as Mr. Brian Dominick Lockett, 28, of North Arlington, and Mr. Ezequiel Aquino, 29, of Newark. Both men were transported in separate ambulances to University Hospital in Newark, where they were later pronounced dead.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Special Investigations Squad responded to the scene alongside the North Arlington Police Department and launched a joint investigation.
Investigators said the preliminary investigation indicates the shooting stemmed from an altercation involving two small groups of people near the intersection.
Authorities emphasized that the incident was isolated, was not directly connected to any nearby businesses, and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit or the North Arlington Police Department.