A memorial gathering in Elizabeth, New Jersey, turned into a scene of chaos and violence on Monday night when gunfire erupted, leaving one person dead and as many as four others injured. The shooting occurred just before 10 p.m. in the vicinity of Irvington Avenue and Oakwood Place, where witnesses reported that a large crowd had assembled for a vigil.
First responders arriving at the scene discovered one victim who was pronounced dead at the location. Emergency medical services transported three other victims to University Hospital in Newark for treatment. According to local officials, one of those hospitalized suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, while two others sustained injuries to their arms and legs. A fifth person may have also been injured during the incident, as authorities noted up to four people were hurt in addition to the fatality.
Witnesses at the scene described hearing a heavy barrage of gunfire. The scale of the violence was visible in the forensic evidence left behind, with one witness estimating more than 20 orange evidence markers placed on the ground by investigators. Shell casings were found scattered across a crime scene that investigators said stretched for several blocks.
Law enforcement is currently searching for a red sedan that was reportedly seen fleeing the area immediately after the shots were fired. The vehicle was last seen traveling westbound on Morris Avenue. Approximately one hour after the shooting, authorities located a red sedan on Hobson Street in Newark that had been set on fire. Forensic teams are working to determine if the vehicle found burning is the same one involved in the Elizabeth shooting.
As of Tuesday morning, no arrests have been made and no suspect descriptions have been released. The Elizabeth Police Department has referred all formal inquiries regarding the investigation to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, which is now leading the probe into the homicide and the related injuries.
No information has been released regarding the identity of the deceased or the condition of the survivors currently being treated in Newark. Authorities have not yet commented on a possible motive or whether the shooters were known to the individuals attending the vigil.
