Police: 4 young women shot while mourning at Newark vigil, 1 dead
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police are searching for the gunman who shot four young women at a vigil in Newark on Saturday night.
Officers responded to Bergen Street and Madison Avenue on a Shot Spotter notification shortly after 9:15 p.m.
The vigil was for two teenagers -- 17-year-old Quadre Robinson and 19-year-old Quayim Battle -- who died after crashing a stolen SUV into a home Friday morning. The vehicle burst into flames, and both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Friends and family held the vigil Saturday night, which is when police say the gunman walked up to four young women who were mourning and shot them.
A 16-year-old was shot in the head and was fighting for her life. Sources told Eyewitness News on Thursday that the victim died of her injuries.
The other victims, also believed to be teenagers, were listed in stable condition.
The empty lot in Newark is littered with shattered glass from broken candles, mixed in with mangled car parts.
Police said the teens were speeding in the stolen SUV and then slammed into two light poles before careening into the home. Officials say a gun was recovered from inside the car.
It is still unclear how or if the two incidents are related.
There is a $50,000 reward being offered by the Essex County Sheriff's Office for information on Saturday night's shooting.
"We are aggressively investigating this senseless act of violence," Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said. "We ask anyone with information about this incident to come forward and to report what they know to the police."
Anyone with information is urged to call the department's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867).
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