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Investigators said two women and three men were shot by someone firing from a passing car.
Police said Nakisha Allen, 35, of Newark was killed and the other woman was listed in grave condition. Allen was the mother of two children. She was on her way to pick up her nieces, relatives said.
The conditions of the three men who were shot were not immediately known.
The names of the four surviving victims were not released.
The second shooting happened about three hours later. In this case, police said two people were killed at 109 South 12th Street.
Newark Police Director Garry McCarthy says at least two men got out of a car and began firing on the victims, who were sitting on a stoop.
A third person was wounded at that location, about four miles from the first one.
A third shooting left two men wounded at S. Hawthorne and Cedar Lanes. This one happened shortly before 7:00 p.m. Both men were able to walk to nearby Clara Maas Hospital. They were listed in stable condition. One was shot in the arm and the other in the torso.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker condemned the violence through his Twitter account, calling the violence outrageous and unacceptable.
Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Paul Loriquet said the southern Newark neighborhood is prone to violence.
"There have been numerous shootings in the area," he said.
Residents in the area of the second attack said their neighborhood is struggling with illegal drug sales and violence, too. Betty Mitchell, 76, said it's heating up this summer after a fairly quiet six months.
"I'm scared, Mitchell said. "I was taking a nap upstairs when I heard what sounded like firecrackers going off, but I've heard enough shootings in their neighborhood to know better. I can tell the difference."
Police did not have any suspects in any of the shootings. Police say they don't believe the first two shootings are related. Officials haven't made an assessment on the third incident.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Newark Police Department's 24-hour "Crime Stoppers" anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).
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