NEWARK, N.J. — In a tragic and shocking turn of events, a 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder after he fatally shot a New Jersey police officer and wounded another during a shootout late Friday night.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the charges against the unidentified teen on Saturday. Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran of the Newark Police Department, was killed in the violent exchange. Another officer and the teen were also injured during the confrontation but are expected to survive.
The deadly incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. when Detective Azcona and his partner, along with FBI and ATF agents, were gathering intelligence on illegal firearms in the area. As they approached a group of suspects, the teen opened fire with an automatic weapon, striking the officers before they had the chance to respond.
Mayor Ras Baraka spoke at a press conference, praising the bravery of the officers despite the dangers of the situation. “They were doing their jobs, getting intelligence about guns on the street, and they went to the scene, a scene many of us would not have gone to, knowing that danger lives there,” he said. “Unfortunately, one of our officers did not recover from that.”
Prosecutors are investigating how a 14-year-old came to be in possession of a firearm and felt emboldened to use it against law enforcement officers. Prosecutor Theodore Stephens expressed concern, calling it an “insane” situation that needed immediate attention. “We need to focus laser-sharp on trying to find the reason why this 14-year-old was in the situation that he was,” Stephens stated.
The teen now faces multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, and illegal weapons possession. Authorities have arrested four additional individuals linked to the shooting, and the investigation continues. The loss of Officer Azcona has left the Newark community in mourning as the family of law enforcement grapples with this senseless tragedy.
