The mayor of New Jersey’s largest city, along with his director of public safety, are cautioning their constituents against a “stream of misinformation” they say has developed in the wake of a deadly police shooting.
The shooting happened on Monday afternoon in Newark.
According to preliminary information, Newark police officers “encountered several civilians” near Ross Street and Evergreen Avenue just after 1 p.m. During that encounter, the AG’s office says one of the officers fired his weapon, striking two civilians. One of them was pronounced dead a short time later.
The New Jersey attorney general’s office says it is investigating the deadly “encounter,” as is required in the case of any fatal civilian shooting by police. The other wounded individual was hospitalized for treatment.
In a joint statement Wednesday, Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr., asked concerned community members to let the investigative process run its course.
“A stream of misinformation has been circulating regarding details of the incident. We understand that many in our community are hurting and need factual answers,” the joint statement said.
“We ask our residents to trust the process by exercising patience and by understanding that the New Jersey attorney general’s office is conducting an impartial and independent investigation on behalf of the people of our great city,” it continued.
The city chiefs also asked that “well-meaning people” cooperate with the investigation, which is expected to last about three weeks.
It’s not clear what prompted the gunfire. Neither the identities of the dead man nor the other civilians or officers involved in the incident are being released at this time.
No police officers were wounded, though one was briefly taken to a hospital for evaluation.
