A police shooting in New Jersey left one man dead and another hospitalized Monday.
The killing occurred when officers from the Newark Police Department encountered “several civilians” in Newark shortly after 1 p.m., according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s office.
Officials said one of the officers fired his weapon and struck two people. Both victims were taken to University Hospital, where one of them was soon pronounced dead. Authorities said Monday the second person was receiving treatment. No police officers were reported wounded.
One cop was said to have been evaluated in an area hospital and released. CBS News said that was the officer who fired the shots. None of the parties involved were immediately identified. What led to the shooting is unclear.
WABC News reported the incident occurred outside a corner liquor store. One witness said shots rang out when undercover officers approached a man sitting in a car. People in the area reportedly claimed they had to avoid being hit by gunfire.
The man who was killed was described as a father in his 30s who was well-regarded in the area.
“He just tried to take off, and they shot at the car and they shot him,” a witness told CBS News.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka addressed the shooting in a statement asking the public for patience as facts come to light.
“It is a heartbreaking tragedy for everyone involved when a police officer feels the need to draw weapon—and so much more so when they are compelled to fire,” he wrote.
The AG’s office said the incident is under investigation.
