Three Hurt After Shots Fired Near Newark High School Basketball Event, Crowd Scrambles for Safety
Gunfire outside a Newark high school basketball celebration Tuesday night injured three individuals and sent players, coaches, and fans fleeing.
Newark officials reported the incident at 8:44 p.m. near Littleton Avenue and 12th Avenue, near KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy in the West Ward. Shots were fired outside after a varsity boys basketball game between Newark Central and Newark Collegiate ended, as a huge crowd left the gym.
Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda said cops arrived promptly. A man with a gunshot wound was outdoors when police arrived. He received medical care at University Hospital.
Authorities said two other people, including a 16-year-old boy, were treated at University Hospital. The three patients are stable after non-life-threatening injuries. Officials have not disclosed victim information.
Ballistics evidence was found on the 100 block of Littleton Avenue during the inquiry. On Thursday morning, no arrests were reported. Police are still investigating the shooting and its cause.
Violence ruined a beautiful evening for children and families. The games were part of Newark Collegiate’s boys and girls basketball Senior Night. Roselle Catholic girls defeated Newark Collegiate 58–42 earlier in the evening. In front of 300 spectators, Newark Collegiate won the boys game 73–32 at 7 p.m.
Shots rang out after the boys game, causing witnesses to panic. When many ran back into the gym for protection, many spectators had left. As many rushed in, some fell in the narrow passage near the entryway.
Shawn McCray, Newark Central coach, explained the emotional impact. He stated the incident had shocked athletes and families. Coaches kept children safe and quiet in changing rooms as chaos unfolded outside.
Some students left through a rear gymnasium door to the football field to avoid the pandemonium near the main entrance. Many students and older family members were at the event, making the scene unsettling.
Authorities have not said if the shooting was related to the basketball game or a targeted crime unrelated to the school. Investigators stressed that the inquiry continues.
KIPP New Jersey runs 19 charter schools, including Newark Collegiate. On Thursday, school officials had not commented on the event.
Urban violence around schools and youth events is a major worry, as the incident shows. Police continue to ask anyone with information about the event to come forward as detectives identify the perpetrators.
Community members say the focus is now on assisting injured people and pupils digest the scary experience. A night celebrating student-athletes became a reminder of gun violence’s unpredictability and impact on families and neighborhoods.
Authorities promise updates as the inquiry continues.
Sources:
Newark Department of Public Safety
University Hospital, Newark
KIPP New Jersey
