Teen Accused Of Shooting At Car, Wounding Child In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police arrested a juvenile who is accused of shooting at a vehicle last week, wounding a 1-year-old child, authorities said.

Police arrested a 16-year-old male on Saturday in connection with the shooting, which took place on April 12, according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

Newark officers responded to the area of 14th Avenue and South 6th Street at 2:06 p.m. after getting a ShotSpotter notification of gunfire. They were soon alerted that a 1- year-old was taken to University Hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound, authorities said.

The child is reportedly in stable condition, authorities said.

“Our Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested a 16-year-old male who fired at the vehicle where the 1-year-old child, two other teenagers and a male adult were seated that day,” Newark Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said.

According to Newark police:

“Detectives arrested the 16-year-old [on Saturday] after observing video footage of him firing at the child’s mother, Tytaneisha Wilder, of East Orange, who initially pointed a handgun at the group she was disputing with. Police recovered the handgun used by Wilder on April 12. She was arrested and faces three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.”

The juvenile faces five counts of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of weapon for an unlawful purpose, authorities said.

The New Jersey Department of Child Permanency and Protection has been notified of this incident, police stated.

“This shooting was the result of a senseless dispute between the child’s mother and a group of individuals,” O’Hara said. “We are confident that these arrests will close out this incident, and that there is no threat to the community.”

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