New York, New Jersey, Connecticut News: police

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Saturday, 6 October 2012

Police discover remains of young boy in Farmingdale

FARMINGDALE (WABC) -- Police have discovered the remains of an infant in the yard of a home in Farmingdale, Long Island.

The child has been identified as Justin Kowalczik, who had been missing since 2009.

The remains were discovered after a search warrant was executed at the home of the child's mother, Heather Kowalczik and her husband, Robert Rodriguez.

Police initiated the search after an Amber Alert was issued Friday for the couple's son, 9-year old Robert Rodriguez, Jr.

The boy was found and is okay.

After the boy was found, focus of the investigation then turned to the couple's home on Hallock Street in Farmingdale.

Police confirmed that they were investigating the possible murder of a child who would now be 3-years old, and that the suspect is Robert Rodriguez, the father of the 9-year-old.

Investigators say the 3-year-old had not been seen in at least a year. That is about how long the family has lived in the home, according to the landlord.

According to neighborhood residents, a family of four lived there, including Robert Rodriguez, Sr., two children and his wife. Eyewitness News' camera spotted Rodriguez's wife in the front seat of a police vehicle leaving the scene.

When neighborhood resident Meade Jackson was asked how she would describe the Rodriguez', she said that they were a nice family.

Investigators tell Eyewitness News that the investigation began after a tip from state police in Middletown, New York.

Authorities say the family never reported the child's death.

Investigators are still trying to determine how the child died, and why the family kept it a secret.

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amber alert, farmingdale, long island, nassau county, local news

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Friday, 5 October 2012

Questions surround deadly Queens police shooting

Web produced by Bill King, Eyewitness NewsQUEENS (WABC) -- There are more questions than answers after a deadly police shooting in Queens early Thursday left an unarmed National Guardsman dead.

Noel Polanco, 22, was shot and killed by an officer on the Grand Central Parkway, near LaGuardia Airport, during a traffic stop around 5 a.m.

Now, his mother is speaking out, asking why her son had to die.

"I'm going to continue to make sure that his name does not get taken down by mud," Cecilia Reyes said. "They took him from me, and this is not going to stay like this. They're not going to make my son out to be the bad guy, because he's not."

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly has not yet spoken about the case, which appears to be very complicated for everyone involved.

Minutes before the shooting, surveillance video recorded Polanco and friends leaving the Ice Bar in Astoria. Investigators say Polanco got onto the parkway and began weaving in and out of lanes.

Dianne DiFerrari was in the passenger seat when she says Polanco cut off two unmarked police cars. She says one of them pulled up next to their Honda, and one man began screaming obscenities through her open window.

When they pulled over, she she says heavily armed men surrounded them. She says she had no idea they were officers until she heard the pop of the shot that killed her friend.

"He was shot intentionally, no doubt in my mind," she said. "Because there was no reason to even have your guns drawn the way they did. All you had to do was pull him over, ask him for his freaking license and registration and take him to jail. There was no reason for this innocent kid to be killed."

The officer who was involved in the shooting has been identified as 39-year-old Hassam Handy, who has been on the force for quite some time.

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new york city, queens, shooting, grand central parkway, new york news, anthony johnson

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Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Police shoot knife-wielding man in Harlem

Web produced by Bill King, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Authorities are investigating a police-involved shooting in Harlem that left an emotionally-disturbed man dead.

Officers reportedly shot the knife-wielding 28-year-old after several attempts to subdue him failed and he apparently slashed them with the weapon.

The incident began when the man's mother called 911 because he had grabbed the knife and locked himself in the apartment. She had been visiting him from Guinea to celebrate his birthday, which was just days away.

When police arrived at the apartment on Morningside Avenue near West 124th Street around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, they say Mohamed Bahh was still locked inside. They put a camera underneath the door to get a view of the inside of the apartment, but they say Bahh grabbed the camera, then came out waving the 12-inch kitchen knife.

When he would not drop the weapon, authorities say officers used a taser on him. When that had no effect, they reportedly shot him with a rubber bullet and tased him again. Still, they say he was able to charge at officers and slash two of them in their bullet-resistant vests.

The officers were unhurt, but fearing that Bahh may strike again, they shot him. He was taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police remain at the scene investigating the incident.

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new york city, harlem, police shooting, new york news, marci gonzalez

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Caught on tape: Alleged police brutality in Washington

Eyewitness NewsWASHINGTON (WABC) -- A Washington state police department is investigating a report of police abuse after the beating of two brothers was caught on camera.

The DashCam recorded police beating and arresting the men in Tukwila, Washington.

Officers claim the men resisted arrest, but the video seems to show them raising their hands before officers approached.

The two brothers, Charles Chappelle and Jahmez Amili, say it all happened so fast.

"I was thrown to the ground," Amili said. "I didn't have no idea what was going on. I was like, I can't believe he just started punching me."

The incident happened at 2:43 a.m. on Saturday, May 12.

"Once I was on the ground, I was pinned to the ground by several people," Chapelle said. "People's hands and knees were on my hands and back, and I was getting hit continually in the face."

The officers reportedly pepper-sprayed them, too.

According to the police report, officers were responding to a fight near the Southcenter Mall when they spotted the two brothers walking near the edge of the road.

"The pair was intoxicated, showing erratic behavior and were refusing orders," the report read.

The brothers admit they'd been drinking, but they say they were not arguing with the officers.

"I had my hands raised in the air," Amili said. "I was complying with the officer's demands."

The video shows Chappelle holding his hands up. And with the video slowed down, you can even see him start to go to the ground before the officer gets to him.

Once handcuffed, the two were walked to the patrol cars, where you can clearly see Amili's bloodied face.

"I was just trying to make sure I stay alive, because I was really like feeling like I was about to die," Chapelle said. "I couldn't breathe at all."

The two brothers were arrested for investigation of obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. Police say they also assaulted the officers during the struggle.

But when the two men were taken to jail, the guards turned them away and told police they needed to be taken to the hospital instead. That was at 3:47 a.m.

According to Chappelle and Amili, they never got treatment at Highline Hospital, like it said in the police report.

They say the officers washed off their faces in a garage at the Tukwila Police Department, then drove them around with the windows down.

Finally, at 5:47 a.m., three hours after they were first approached by police, Chappelle and Amili were taken to the jail and booked.

Both of the men have previous criminal convictions for drugs and assault.

The charges against Amili in this case were recently dismissed by a judge, but they are still pending against Chappelle.

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Saturday, 22 September 2012

Crash in Yonkers between car and police cruiser

YONKERS (WABC) -- One person was killed after a police chase in Yonkers Saturday morning ended in a head-collision between a car and a police cruiser.

It happened at around 1:30 a.m. in downtown Yonkers.

Police were in pursuit of a vehicle they had tried to stop earlier.

The chase went down South Broadway, right past police headquarters, when another car slammed into the police cruiser head-on.

The civilian car flipped upside down onto the sidewalk and the driver was killed.

Two officers were injured in the crash, but their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

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yonkers, police chase, police officer injured, northern suburbs news, marcus solis

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Sunday, 16 September 2012

Police searching for cell phone bandit in Bronx

BEDFORD PARK (WABC) -- Seven women, most of whom are young, report they have been followed by the same man in the same neighborhood.

On Saturday, police warned women to be on their guard while they searched for the bandit.

For the past three weeks, police believe the suspect has been on a one-man rampage stealing phones and purses from unsuspecting women in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx.

Eyewitness News is told he follows the victims into their buildings, then grabs and runs. He is described as strong and fast, but not quick enough to elude surveillance cameras.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO

The robberies have taken place at all hours - some late at night, one in broad daylight at noon. The robber is not concerned about the time of day, as he looks to do something quick and easy to steal.

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new york city, bronx, cell phone, robbery, new york news, lucy yang

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Wednesday, 5 September 2012

Police: Man tried to toss boys in front of train

Eyewitness NewsRAMSEY, N.J. -- A New Jersey man has been charged with attempted murder and kidnapping after authorities said he tried to throw two young brothers in front of a train that was pulling into a station.

The boys, ages 7 and 9, were with their mother and grandmother at a New Jersey Transit station in Ramsey on Monday afternoon when the boys moved toward the platform's edge to see a train, police said.

Authorities say 47-year-old David Howard, of Wyckoff, approached the boys around 2:30 p.m. and put the 7-year-old in a headlock. They say he then grabbed the 9-year-old by the left shoulder and moved both toward the tracks.

The mother and grandmother intervened, and the boys broke free. The women then held Howard for police, and he allegedly spit at one officer while being arrested.

It wasn't clear why Howard approached the boys or why he appeared intent on harming them, according to authorities, who were trying to determine whether he had been using alcohol or drugs. The boys' mother told police that Howard had been sitting on a bench and spitting on the ground, and that he appeared to be intoxicated.

Howard, who also faces charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a police officer, is being held on $500,000 bail. Authorities do not know whether he has an attorney

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new jersey, ramsey, wyckoff, crime, new jersey transit, new jersey news

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Thursday, 31 May 2012

Long Island police investigate taser incident

Eyewitness NewsCOPIAGUE (WABC) -- Police on Long Island are investigating whether officers used excessive force to subdue a suspect.

Jeu Gonzalez, 21, was arrested Tuesday night in Copiague after an altercation with Suffolk County police officers.

Authorities say that when police approached Gonzalez, he was in an agitated state and tried to resist arrest.

That's when he was tasered.

Gonzalez is charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Police also released a call from responding officers, who said they were being attacked.

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Long Island police investigate rape at posh hotel

Eyewitness NewsLONG BEACH (WABC) -- A sexual predator is on the loose after police say he attacked a woman at a posh Long Island hotel.

The incident happened early Saturday morning in Long Beach in Nassau County.

Police say the assault took place at the Allegria Hotel.

Investigators are still trying to gather evidence and are interviewing people who were there, but they still don't have a description of the attacker.

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Sunday, 13 May 2012

Police investigating burning body found in Queens

WOODHAVEN (WABC) -- Firefighters responding to a park fire in Queens Saturday discovered a dead body.

They arrived on the scene following a 911 call of a rubbish fire along the southern tier of Forest Park.

The firefighters discovered that the burning trash was actually a man's body that had been set on fire.

The body was found just north of Park Lane South and 86th Street in the Woodhaven section of Queens.

EMS responded and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

There is still no word on the man's identity or the cause of death. An autopsy will be performed on Sunday.

Investigators spent the day searching the woods for clues.

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new york city, queens, body found, fire death, new york news, darla miles

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Thursday, 10 May 2012

Police investigate deadly shooting in Plainfield

Eyewitness NewsPLAINFIELD (WABC) -- Police are investigating a deadly shooting in New Jersey.

The incident happened at Roosevelt Avenue, near East Front Street, in Plainfield around 5:30 a.m.

Authorities were called to the scene to a report of a person down in the roadway. They initially thought it was a pedestrian who had been struck by a hit-and-run driver. But as they looked closer, they realized it was a gunshot victim.

The person was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing, and no suspects are in custody.

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Friday, 4 May 2012

Video shows police confrontation with former Marine

WHITE PLAINS (WABC) -- There is new information in the deadly police shooting of a former Marine by cops in White Plains. Eyewitness News got a look at dramatic evidence seen by a grand jury, which on Thursday refused to indict the officers for the death of Kenneth Chamberlain.

So what does it show?

For nearly an hour, the tense stand off between Chamberlain and White Plains police played out.

Chamberlain: "I know I'm going to get hurt, I know that."
Police: "We can't leave until we check you out."

Video from the cops taser gun was recording as the 68-year-old Chamberlain refused to open the door and begged police to leave.

Chamberlain: "I did not call you. Why are you here? Why are you here?"

Police responded to his apartment at 5 a.m. last November because Chamberlain's medical alert was triggered.

Police: "Alarm went off. We need to check you out. You know we aren't going nowhere."

But Chamberlain, who sounded scared, refused to open the door.

Chamberlain: "They're getting ready to kill me or beat me up...They have shotguns, stun guns. They have their glocks out."

The grainy video makes it hard to see, but at one point, Chamberlain shows a butcher knife through a gap in the door.

Police: "Put the knife down and step away from the door. We're going to come in and see you."

Again, Chamberlain refuses to let them in. Eventually, police are able to grab the knife with bolt cutters. The stand off going nowhere, police take the hinges off the door and begin to kick it down.

Chamberlain: "They're taking hinges off the door. They're getting ready to break through."

With the door down, police begin to tase Chamberlain, whom officers said was threatening them with a knife.

Police: Put the knife down.
Chamberlain: Shoot me, come on

The taser video ends, and seconds later, White Plains officer Anthony Carelli shoots and kills Chamberlain. The video and audio made up the crux of the evidence seen by the grand jury, and District Attorney Janet DiFiore said that evidence convinced them police did not use excessive force.

"We did everything we could and should do to put before that grand jury every piece of relevant and admissible evidence," she said.

Chamberlain's son says he's not surprised by the failure to indict.

"If you look at several other incidents where there have been questionable shootings by police officers in Westchester County, the DA has failed to indict any of them," Kenneth Chamberlain, Jr., said.

The family says they will not give up their pursuit of justice, and they plan to ask Attorney General Eric Holder to intervene.

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westchester county, white plains, police shooting, investigations, jim hoffer

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Police chase ends in crash on Long Island

Eyewitness NewsEASTPORT (WABC) -- A suspect was injured after a high-speed police chase on Long Island that ended in a crash.

Authorities say the pursuit began in Blue Point, Suffolk County, after a robbery attempt of a fast-food restaurant.

The chase ended about an hour later on County Road 51 in Eastport, but only after police deflated the tires and the car rolled over.

The driver, identified as 23-year-old Craig Cherney, was taken to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Kerry Crosby, 22, was arrested at the restaurant.

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Thursday, 3 May 2012

Police look for suspects in violet subway assault

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- The search is on for as many as 12 teenage girls wanted in a brutal and violent attack that started on a subway train.

The teens, ranging in age from 15 to 18, assaulted two 16-year-old girls aboard a No. 4 train in the Bronx.

After stealing another girl's french fries, the teens allegedly pulled the victims off the train by their hair.

Police say the suspects also stole a cell phone.

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Wednesday, 2 May 2012

New Jersey police shoot suspect following chase

Eyewitness NewsBRICK TOWNSHIP (WABC) -- An investigation is under way in New Jersey after a state trooper shot a man early Wednesday morning in Ocean County.

The shooting came after a long cross-state police chase that ended in Brick Township.

Investigators say the pursuit began when a trooper attempted to stop 30-year-old Michael Zaun for a motor vehicle violation in West Trenton around 12:30 a.m.

Zaun allegedly fled along Interstate 195 and the Garden State Parkway, eventually ending up on the front lawn of a home.

That's where the trooper shot him as he tried to run to the front door of the home.

Zaun was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

No troopers were injured in the incident.

Troopers reported that Zaun fired a gun during the vehicle pursuit. Zaun's vehicle has not yet been searched. It was impounded and taken to Hamilton Station as evidence, pending an application for a search warrant.

Detectives learned that Zaun's vehicle was involved in a police pursuit in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, earlier in the evening, but the driver was not apprehended during that incident.

The Attorney General's Shooting Response Team is investigating the incident.

No charges have yet been filed.

The names of the troopers involved are not yet being released. Typically, troopers involved in shooting incidents are temporarily placed on administrative leave.

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Sunday, 29 April 2012

Report: 3 NJ state police commanders reassigned

Eyewitness NewsTRENTON, N.J. (WABC) -- Three state police commanders have been reassigned as officials continue to probe allegations that a caravan of luxury sports cars received an unauthorized, high-speed police escort down the Garden State Parkway, according to a published report.

Maj. Robert Catullo, the commander of the troop overseeing northern New Jersey, was among those reassigned late Friday, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/IkIyAC), citing three unidentified people with knowledge of the moves. Also moved were Catullo's deputy commander, Capt. Michael Cerisano, and a region commander, Capt. Warren Moore.

It wasn't clear what role, if any, the transferred troopers might have played in the escorts or where they will now be stationed.

State Police Lt. Stephen Jones said 10 commanders were transferred overall Friday in "a re-alignment aimed at the Operations Branch." Jones said the transfers came in light of recent ongoing internal investigations, but did not say how many of the transfers related to the high-speed escorts. He also declined to identify the troopers involved.

Two troopers were suspended without pay last Monday after news reports recounted witnesses who said they saw the caravan of a few dozen high-performance luxury cars speeding down the Garden State Parkway at 100 mph on March 30, escorted by two state police cars. A station commander also was reportedly reassigned Monday.

The 54-year-old Catullo, a 30-year veteran of the force, must retire by year's end because he will reach the state police's mandatory retirement age. The 53-year-old Cerisano has been a trooper for about 27 years while Moore, 51, has been a trooper for about 24 years.

Catullo is one of 16 majors in Fuentes' command staff, according to the state police website. The majors are overseen by four lieutenant colonels who report directly to Fuentes.

Catullo led Totowa-based Troop B, which covers 2,807 square miles and about 5 million people in northern Jersey. The job of commander there is one of the most powerful and coveted jobs within the state police and includes overseeing the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

The troop is also responsible for working closely with the U.S. Secret Service to escort and protect dignitaries, including presidents, cabinet members and military generals, according to the agency's website. _

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Calls for justice in case of Brooklyn man hit by police car

The Rev. Al Sharpton at a rally in Harlem with the mother of Tamon Robinson

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- The family of Tamon Robinson joined the Reverend Al Sharpton at a rally Saturday morning, calling attention to the police chase that left the young man dead.

Robinson died earlier this month after being hit by a squad car as police chased him in Canarsie, Brooklyn for allegedly stealing paving stones.

His family says he was unarmed, and they are demanding an investigation as to why police ran him over.

They want to know why the officer who hit him has not been punished.

"The officer that hit this young man rushed to judgment," said Sharpton.

"We deserve justice because my son did not deserve to die like that," said the victim's mother, Laverne Dobbinson.

The family is planning to pursue a wrongful death suit.

The N-Y-P-D has said it is conducting an internal investigation into the officer's role in Robinson's death.

The 27-year old was in a coma for a week before he died.

His funeral was Friday evening.

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new york city, police chase, police accident, brooklyn, new york news

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Police hunt for suspects in Bronx subway stabbing

BRONX (WABC) -- Police are searching for two suspects in connection with the stabbing of a man early Saturday morning at a Bronx subway station.

The victim of the stabbing is in critical but stable condition at St. Barnabas hospital.

The incident happened in the Fordham section of the Bronx.

Police have released security camera of the two suspets they're looking for.

It shows a man and woman in an apartment building in the Bronx, shortly after the assault on the platform of the number 4 train.

Police say a 19 year old man was stabbed at least six times after confronting a man who stole his smartphone.

According to investigators, the victim and a friend were riding the train just before 4 a.m., when they fell asleep.

The victim woke up and noticed that his pocket had been slashed and his phone, gone.

He then spotted a man with his phone on the train car.

They all got off, and the victim confronted the suspect, who in turn, pulled out a knife.

The victim's friend ran for help.

When he came back to the platform, his buddy had been stabbed in his head, neck, chest and torso.

In surveillance video from another nearby store, detectives are seen arriving to the scene just minutes after the stabbing.

The victim left a trail of blood down three levels of the station, from the platform to the landing near the token booth, and all the way down the stairs to the exit on Fordham.

Number 4 trains were bypassing the Fordham Road Station while police investigated.

The suspect was with a woman on the train.

He was wearing a baseball hat with the letters "LA" on it.

Police have been looking through surveillance video from the subway and nearby stores to track him down.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

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new york city, bronx, subway, subway crime, new york news, darla miles

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Sunday, 22 January 2012

Police search for 2 suspects in spa robberies

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- It was anything but a relaxing time at a couple of spas in Manhattan that were robbed.

Police say the men caught on surveillance go into spas, pretend they are police and then rob the clientele.

Two women were hurt during the robberies in December on the Lower East Side and in Washington Heights.

The suspects got away without any money after the workers refused to give it to them.

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Saturday, 31 December 2011

Police ID suspect in 2-year-old's shooting

NEWARK (WABC) -- A young child was fatally shot in Newark, and police now say they are looking for 27-year-old Wakir Bryant.

The 2-year-old boy, identified as Mikhy Robinson, was shot in a house on St. James Place at around 10:30 a.m.

Neighbors say whatever was going on inside the home started as early as 4 a.m.

"It sounded like a dispute, and the son was in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Tyree Williams

The shooting police say, happened at about 9:48 this morning. The child's mother, and Wakir Bryant, rushed the toddler to Beth Israel Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a half an hour later.

Friends of the family came to the scene along with relatives of the victim, who would not speak as they were overcome with emotion, as the reality of the loss sank in.

Newark and Essex county investigators are still trying to piece together how this tragedy unfolded. The mother was being questioned, but Bryant who was with her and the child inside at the time of the shooting left the hospital and police are now searching for him.

Bryant is now wanted for aggravated manslaughter and weapons offenses.

Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio said, "I am saddened by this tragic and senseless loss of life and extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the infant. The investigation into this incident is in the very early stages and police have yet to clarify all of the details surrounding the case at this time. Nevertheless, I am confident that the hard working investigators assigned to the Essex County Homicide Task Force will conduct a thorough investigation in the pursuit of justice and closure for the family."

Police were looking a white four door Pontiac newer than 2000, with a broken rear passenger brake light.

It was the 90th homicide of the year in Newark.

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