The string of shootings, apparently unrelated, marked the end of the July 4th holiday weekend and came as the city battles its annual summer crime uptick with less officers on the force.
In the first, an off-duty female correction officer was fatally shot at her Columbia Street house just after 12:30 a.m.
Police say 37-year-old /*Katrina Owens*/ was attending a barbeque with a male friend when the domestic dispute occurred. Owens is a married mother of three who became a corrections officer in 2003. At the time of her death, she was employed at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton.
Within 10 minutes, 21-year-old /*Shaun Miller*/ was fatally shot in the backyard of his home at 169 Elizabeth Avenue. There was speculation drugs may have been involved, but his family says that is not true and that his death is a tragedy because he leaves behind a 7-month-old daughter.
In the next 10 minutes, two people - a man and a woman - were each shot multiple times in the chest at 349 Osborne Terrace.
The man, identified as 24-year-old /*Marques Robinson*/, later died. The woman, believed to be his girlfriend, remains in critical condition at the hospital.
/*Newark*/ Mayor /*Cory Booker*/ released the following statement:
"In 45 minutes last night we had three tragic shootings. We mourn for the victims. Newark will not be deterred from our central mission to drive crime down. I remain grateful for all the many pulling together this summer. We are making progress. Violence is still down significantly from last summer. We have work to do. Our challenge really isn't the violent actions of a few bad people but the stark inaction of too many good people in Newark."
