Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Police Director Eugene Venable have announced that authorities are investigating two fatal shootings that occurred in Newark on New Year’s Day.
Authorities said, the first incident occurred at approximately 4:35 a.m. in the 100 block of Court Street. Newark police officers responded to a shooting call. Responding officers located the victim, later identified as Calvin A. Austin, age 36 of Newark, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Austin was rushed to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:51 am.
Later that evening, at approximately 6:45 p.m. in the area of 29 Homestead Park, Authorities said, Newark officers responded and observed a male sitting in a vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. This victim, who has been identified as Thomas Haskins, age 53, of Morristown, NJ, was pronounced dead, at the scene at 7:04 p.m.
Both incidents are being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly of the Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit.
Both investigations are active and ongoing at this time, according to Fennelly, who added that the shootings do not appear to be related.
Anyone with information regarding either homicide is asked to contact task force detectives at 877-847-7432.