NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A 14-year-old shot and killed a police officer and wounded another Friday evening in New Jersey, authorities said, as witnesses described a chaotic scene of a dozen or more gunshots and officers running down a busy street.
The slain officer, 25-year-old Joseph Azcona, was part of a Newark police intelligence team that had gone to capture a suspect in an illegal weapons investigation when the officer was fired on in his vehicle, authorities said. It happened around 6:37 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Carteret
“He didn’t even get a chance to step out of the vehicle before he was struck,” Emanuel Miranda, Newark's director of public safety, told a Saturday morning news conference with Newark's mayor and top prosecutor.
The other officer who was struck was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the shooting a “heinous, callous disregard for humanity.”
Police took five people into custody, including the 14-year-old who was charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of illegal weapons, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stevens II told the news conference.
The 14-year-old was shot and hospitalized with injuries that were not life threatening, Stevens said.
Stevens did not identify the teen or the other four people in custody who he said were undergoing questioning by investigators Saturday. Stevens and Miranda gave few other details about what led police to the group that fired on Azcona, the ensuing police response or the shootout. One gun was recovered, Stevens said.
Witnesses said they heard a string of gunshots after they saw officers running down the street on a commercial strip between a McDonald’s and White Castle restaurants near the Passaic River.
Witness Randy Mejia told WCBS-TV right before he heard gunshots that he saw officers running down the street.
“It sounded like a car accident and it went boom, boom, boom,” Mejia said.
The wounded officers were taken to University Hospital in Newark, where Azcona was pronounced dead around 2:30 a.m., Stevens said. Azcona's mother, father and brother were at the hospital to see him and grieve after the shooting, Miranda said.
Azcona was a five-year veteran of the Newark police force and was promoted to detective two years ago.
Police declined to identify the officer who was wounded.
“We just have to do a better job. I have to do a better job. Our families have to do a better job. The community has to do a better job at making sure our children are not handling guns in the street, shooting at our police officers," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said those involved will be brought to justice, and that his prayers are with detective Azcona, his family and the entire Newark community.
"I want the brave men and women of the Newark Police Department to know I stand with them in this very difficult time," he said.