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On Thursday night, a drive-by shooting in Newark, New Jersey left 9 people injured.
Newark authorities reported that around 6:20 pm, a vehicle pulled up outside of a bodega on the corner of Shephard and Clinton Place and began firing shots.
4 adult victims and 1 teenager were treated for gunshot wounds at Beth Israel Medical Center. The 4 other victims, also afflicted by gunshot wounds, were taken to the University Hospital. All victims are currently in stable condition.
As of now, investigations are ongoing but police have not yet released information concerning any potential suspects. They have, however, identified a vehicle that has been connected to the shooting.
According to authorities, the gunmen are believed to have used a white Honda Pilot that had recently been stolen from New Jersey.
Crime and gun violence in Newark
According to North Jersey News, Newark is no stranger to gun violence. While it has seen a 5% decrease in homicides this year, it is one of the handful of cities in New Jersey that account for 62% of the state's gun violence crimes, despite the fact that they only make up 10% of the total population.
Community leaders have noted why Newark and a few other cities experience such a disproportionate rate of gun crime as compared to other cities. Along with Camden, Jersey City, Paterson and Trenton- the city has experienced several social issues such as poverty and drug addiction. These issues are further exacerbated by unemployment, institutional racism, and poverty.
According to Brooke Lewis, associate counsel for the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, this creates an environment where many people turn to crime and gangs.
He said:
“Black and brown communities have experienced a significant divestment of community resources, and that has compounded over the decades.If you don’t have access to quality education, if you don’t have access to quality housing, if you don’t have access to quality health care, all of that impacts public safety.”
During a 2021 press release, Mayor Ras J. Baraka and other public figures noted that the city has improved significantly over the past decade. While 57 homicides were recorded in 2021, this was a vast improvement from the 112 murders the city experienced in 2013.
Mayor Baraka did, however, note that there was still much work to be done.
He said:
“We are definitely not putting a victory flag in the ground or taking a victory lap, but we clearly are doing a great job here in the City of Newark- one homicide is too many, but it’s obvious we’ve been working hard in very difficult times.”
By and large, officials have noted that certain crimes have gone down in the city. Mayor Baraka told news outlets that they were working towards cracking the illegal trades in drugs and firearms.
