Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II and Acting Newark Public Safety Director Raul Malave have announced that authorities are investigating two shooting homicides that occurred in Newark on Monday, July 4.
Officials said the first incident occurred at approximately 12:35 pm on the 100 block of Irvine Turner Boulevard.
The Newark Police Department dispatched officers to that location on reports of a shooting.
Arriving officers discovered an unresponsive male behind an apartment complex suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
The victim was rushed to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:09 pm. The victim of this shooting has been identified as Raakin J. Brown, 39, of Newark.
The second incident occurred shortly after 5:00 pm on the 200 block of South Eighth Street. Newark officers responded to that area on reports of shots fired.
The responding officers discovered a male, later identified as Mailk Taylor, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Taylor, 42 and of East Orange, was rushed to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:42 pm.
Both incidents are being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department.
“At this point, there is no indication that the incidents are related.”
These investigations are active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877-847-7432 or 1-877-TIPS-4EC.