Newark Child Shot After Teens Get Into Argument, 2 Arrested: PD

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police arrested two people in connection with a shooting that wounded a 9-year-old child last week, authorities said.

Police arrested Nazir Cruz, 22, and a 15-year-old female, both of Newark, in connection with the shooting, which took place on June 30.

Newark police released the following statement about the shooting:

“Just before 5:25 p.m., police responded to the 400-block of Holiday Court, located in the Wynona Lipman Gardens Apartment Complex, on a call of a shooting. Responding officers located a 9-year-old girl who had sustained two gunshot wounds, one to her left calf and one to her right foot. The victim was transported to University Hospital for treatment and is reportedly in stable condition.”

Police continued:

“The incident followed a quarrel that became a physical altercation between the injured girl’s 16-year-old sister and a 15-year-old female. The juvenile female suspect entered the victim’s home, along with Cruz, who fired a handgun at the victim, her mother, a 19-year-old sibling, a 16-year-old sibling, and a 15-year-old male visitor while inside the residence.”

Cruz, who was arrested Saturday, faces five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, conspiracy, and burglary.

The 15-year-old female suspect was arrested near the scene on June 30 while wearing an electronic monitoring ankle-bracelet resulting from an arrest for her role in a June 7 carjacking in Newark. She also faces five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, conspiracy and burglary, police said.

“It is tragic that a dispute between two teenagers led to a young child being shot,” Director O’Hara said. “I am thankful that her injuries are non-life-threatening. But this incident speaks to the dilemma facing communities all over the country this summer, after children have been away from the structure of their classrooms for the past 15-months due to the pandemic. The economic and social effects of the pandemic are having an impact on violence all over the across our country.”

O’Hara said that the arrest of the juvenile highlights a need to ensure that young people immediately released after committing a violent crime must be actively monitored in partnership with law enforcement and provided support through social services.

“That’s why I’m thankful that Mayor Baraka established the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery—the first of its kind in the state—to work with law enforcement to fill this gap with a goal of preventing further acts of violence,” O’Hara said.

“Police can’t do this work alone,” he added. “We need community partners.”

• See related article: Newark Joins National Violence Prevention Alliance
• See related article: Healing From Violence: Newark Youth Find Refuge At 'The Hubb'
• See related article: Newark Will Take $12M From Police, Reinvest In Social Services

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