Every year, nearly 3000 children and teens die from gunfire, and nearly 14,000 are injured.
Showing posts with label New Jersey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Jersey. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

9 year old New Jersey girl shot outside of grandparents' home

A 9 year old New Jersey girl was playing outside of her grandparents' home when she was shot 3 times by someone in a car. From an article:
A nine-year-old girl is hospitalized after she was shot three times in Trenton on Monday afternoon.
It happened around 3 p.m. on the 200 block of Bellevue Avenue.
Struck by gunfire playing on the sidewalk outside her grandparents’ Trenton home, a nine-year-old girl was hit three times by a spray of bullets police believe were intended for someone else.
“There were shots being fired up in the direction of the block,” says Trenton Police Director Ralph Rivera, Jr. “There was a vehicle that took about nine rounds. We don’t know what role that vehicle is playing right now.”

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2-year old boy unintentionally shot by father in New Jersey

A man was driving with other family members, including his 2-year old son, in New Jersey, when he unintentionally discharged his loaded, unsecured gun, hitting his son in the left arm and left leg.

The man is now being charged.

From an article:
Camden County Police say 38-year-old Sergio Rivera of Camden was also charged with child endangerment, drug possession and weapons offenses. 
Authorities learned of the shooting late Tuesday, when they were called to the hospital where the boy was being treated for left arm and left leg wounds. But they say Rivera did not cooperate with detectives when they questioned him about the shooting. 
The 9mm handgun was found in the vehicle, and authorities say Rivera had several pills of the prescription painkiller drug Percocet in his possession.
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Sunday, September 15, 2013

Stray bullet strikes New Jersey school bus

A bus carrying 3-5 year old children was struck by a stray bullet in Camden, New Jersey. From the article:
A stray bullet, apparently fired during a gang confrontation, struck a school bus in Camden on Thursday afternoon, frightening a busload of 27 preschool children.
One mother reported that her young son suffered a burn mark on his back from a shard that came from the bus window that was shattered. The bullet lodged in the ceiling of the bus, according to authorities.
The child, who was not identified, was treated at a hospital, Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson said during a 6 p.m. news conference outside police headquarters.
Thomson said the shooting was gang-related and called the at-large shooter a "public enemy." He said a $20,000 reward was being offered for tips leading to his arrest.
"This guy is Public Enemy No. 1," Thomson said. "He clearly displayed sociopathic behavior by firing a rifle in broad daylight in a densely populated area, with an oncoming bus full of children. . . . We need to get him off the streets."
Thomson said the bus was carrying pupils between the ages of 3 and 5, and was leaving the Centerville Abbott Head Start school at 1475 S. Eighth St. to make a series of drop-offs.
Little children should be able to ride in a school bus without fear of being hit by stray bullets.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

New Jersey couple remembers 6 year old son shot by neighbor child

It's been difficult for the Holt family to recall the day their son, Brandon, was shot by a neighbor boy. From the article:
This is the tale of two families whose lives intersected — violently and permanently — on April 8 in Toms River. While playing "pretend shooting" games with Brandon Holt and other children, authorities and neighbors say, the Senatore’s 4-year-old boy bounded into his father’s bedroom, grabbed an unlocked and loaded .22-caliber rifle, walked outside to his yard and hoisted the weapon. Suddenly, one shot exploded, from 15 yards away, discharging a bullet that hit the head of 6-year-old Brandon, killing him, authorities say.
Police have said it is unclear whether the 4-year-old triggered the gun intentionally, or whether it went off by accident.
This is also the story of another American gun tragedy involving young children. In this case, it’s the type of suburban, child-on-child shooting that, at first, seems nearly unimaginable. But it’s more common than many realize.
News articles and interviews with gun-control advocacy groups reveal that the Holts and Senatores are far from alone in confronting the horror of what happens when young children grab loaded and unlocked guns.
This is also a story about how many Americans live today, even as the gun-control debate, fueled by Newtown, Conn., and other mass killings, rages around them. Through detailed reporting, this article examines a lifestyle among some New Jerseyans in which guns, hunting and target shooting are revered forms of recreation and protection.
Some gun-rights advocates say the Senatores’ way of life played no role whatsoever in the tragedy that struck Brandon Holt. But gun-control groups push back: They pound the argument that the prevalence of household guns in the United States leads, unfailingly, to disasters such as the one that took the young boy’s life.
Furthermore, say groups such as the Children’s Defense Fund, in America a child or teen is injured from guns every 30 minutes. And between 1963 and 2010, an estimated 166,500 children and teens died from guns on U.S. soil, the Defense Fund reports, whereas fewer than 53,000 American soldiers were killed in action in the Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq wars combined.
In 2010, 82 children under age 5 lost their lives to guns, the advocacy group also says, compared with 58 law enforcement officers killed by guns in the line of duty. Meanwhile, children and teens in the United States are 67 times more likely to die from guns than children and teens in the United Kingdom.
But the National Rifle Association, the powerful lobbying group, cites statistics of its own. In just one example, the NRA writes that the nation’s total violent crime rate hit an all-time high in 1991, and then declined in 18 of the next 20 years — a 49 percent drop overall — until it reached a 41-year low in 2011. At the same time, says the NRA, gun ownership and the number of privately owned guns rose to all-time highs, with the number of privately owned firearms in the United States increasing by more than 120 million.
There's much more in this story about access to guns by children.

As we always say here on this blog- Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

13 year old New Jersey boy killed, and family held hostage by deranged man in New Jersey

38-year old Gerald "Skip" Murphy went nuts, shot a 13-year old boy to death, and then held his family hostage in his Trenton, New Jersey home, threatening to shoot them to death and saying he had explosives.  

He had also killed a woman in the house, Murphy's girlfriend, 44-year-old Carmelita Stevens.

Held hostage in the home were Stevens' three children, an 18-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, as well as a man who was locked in the basement.

A SWAT Team raided the home after a 37-hour long standoff and shot Murphy, who later died.

From an article:

Police officers went to the South Trenton home Friday afternoon after reports that some of the children hadn't been to school in 12 days, authorities said Sunday at a news conference. Officers entered the home through a rear door and smelled an odor consistent with that of a decomposing body, Trenton Police Director Ralph Rivera Jr. said. 
They found 38-year-old Gerald "Skip" Murphy in an upstairs bedroom, and he told them he was armed with a gun and explosives and had three children with him, Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. said. Officers retreated from the second floor and rescued a 19-year-old man from the basement, who said he hadn't seen his mother or siblings since about April 24. 
A SWAT team was called in, and an arson bomb unit also appeared on the scene. Police said Murphy could be seen from a window holding a black handgun. 
Police remained in contact with Murphy throughout the 37-hour-long standoff and passed food into the home through an upstairs window, state police Col. Rick Fuentes said. Murphy kept the captives with him inside the roughly 10-foot-by-11-foot bedroom throughout the standoff, authorities said. 
Officers stormed the home at around 3:45 a.m. Sunday after noting Murphy's "deteriorating state of mind" and deciding it was necessary to enter to help ensure the captives survived, Fuentes said. An officer shot Murphy because he was threatening one of the children, he said. 
Murphy was taken to a hospital and later died of his injuries. No law enforcement personnel were injured during the standoff or the confrontation with Murphy. 
"This was a very complex matter, considering the space (where the hostages were) and that three children were involved," Fuentes said when asked about the standoff and its resolution. "Our mission over those 37 hours was to save innocent lives." 
Authorities found the bodies of 44-year-old Carmelita Stevens and her teenage son in separate bedrooms. The woman's body was in an advanced state of decomposition, and police said she appeared to have died two weeks ago. 
Three of her children — an 18-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy — were rescued and taken to a medical center for evaluation and treatment. Murphy had abused and assaulted the captives, Bocchini said.   .... 
Murphy had a long criminal history including convictions for aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy, Bocchini said. He had previously been arrested for robbery and weapons offenses and child endangerment. He also had an arrest warrant in Pennsylvania for failing to register as a sex offender.

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

4-year old New Jersey boy shoots 6-year old brother in head with family rifle

(updated. see below)
Brandon Holt, age 6


A 4-year old boy and his 6-year old brother, Brandon Holt, were playing outside their home in Tom's River, New Jersey, when the younger boy got hold of a loaded .22-caliber rifle.  That's when he decided to do "pretend shooting" and discharged the gun, hitting his older brother in the head.

Brandon has now died from his wound.

A number of other guns were retrieved from the home.

From an article:

The incident occurred yesterday at 6:30 p.m. in Toms River, NJ. The younger boy took the rifle into his backyard. A neighbor told the Star-Ledger that "he fired once from 15 yards away, striking Brandon [Holt] in the head. The older boy was sitting in a go-kart at the time, said Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy at a press conference with Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato. While the 6 year old lies in critical condition at an area hospital, detectives continue their investigation, which included seizing a collection of guns from the 4-year-old's home, said another neighbor." 
Little Brandon's uncle says that bullet went through the boy's head—it's apparently lodged in his brain. It's unclear if anyone will be charged. 
Another neighbor told WABC 7, "I'm sad for the children involved and their families, but I'm angry with whoever owns that gun and allowed a little child to get hold of it. A 4-year-old can't load a gun."

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

UPDATE (4/10/13):  Brandon has now died from his wound.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON BRANDON;

The family of Brandon Holt has decided to donate some of his organs after his death. From an article:
But even as they struggle with their grief, the Holts are looking for some good to come out of the tragedy. That's why his parents have decided to donate their son's organs.
"Me and my wife, we both decided it would help carry his name that he is helping somebody," Ron Holt said. "We didn't want to but we felt he could do some good."
Added Randy Holt: "If you could avoid another family, what they went through ...."
But the family wants to do more.
Randy Holt, 39, of Toms River, created a Brandon Holt Memorial Fund. The family is deciding what the foundation will do.
But Brandon's mother, Christine, wants to stop gun violence from touching any other family's life.
"(Christine Holt) has a lot of strong feelings with it, and she is getting passionate with the gun control," said Randy Holt. "And if she can assist other families (who are) going through tragedies..."
But even in their sorrow, the Holts are grateful to the community that has embraced the family in the aftermath.
"So many people came through for them the, police, the town, the church, the funeral home has been amazing," Randy Holt said. "It is a tragic event and it is unfortunate that it takes a tragic event to get everybody to see the great side of people."
People "have been phenomenal. Unfortunately nothing will bring him back," Randy Holt said.
"You can't ask for more than what people have done," Randy Holt said. "It is making a bad experience better."


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

16-year old New Jersey boy shot and killed

A 16-year old boy, Marcus Hunter, was shot and killed in North Trenton, New Jersey.  The motive is unknown.

From an article:

Marcus Hunter was shot dead by one suspect on the first block of Beakes, Lt. Steve Varn said this evening. Police called out to investigate shots fired on the street found Hunter on the sidewalk near the Donnelly Homes housing complex. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Varn said. 
Nearby residents said they heard several gunshots. 
Police did not have a full description of the gunman, but said they believe just one shooter was involved. The motive in the crime was not immediately clear.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

New Jersey man shoots 11 year old daughter in face

A New Jersey man shot his 11 year old daughter in the face as he was asked to leave the house:
Police say an 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after being shot in the face by her father in a New Jersey home on Thursday night, CBS Philly reports.
Investigators said 27-year-old Byaer Johnson apparently entered the home to visit his young daughter. At point, they say, he was asked to leave, then picked up his handgun and shot his daughter in the face.
The girl was rushed to Cooper University Hospital where she is listed in critical but stable condition, according to CBS Philly. Authorities said the girl could suffer paralysis as a result of her injuries.
Investigators say that after allegedly shooting his daughter, Johnson pointed the gun at a 28-year-old man in the home and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed. The man reportedly wrestled with Johnson, obtained his gun and then fired it at him, hitting Johnson in the buttocks.
Police found Johnson running toward an apartment complex and took him into custody, CBS Philly reports. The 28-year-old man is not expected to be charged in the shooting attack.
Johnson is being treated for his injury and is expected to be transferred to the Camden County Jail. He faces charges of criminal attempted murder and other weapons offenses.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

16-year old New Jersey boy arrested for shooting and killing man and injuring baby

A 16-year old boy has surrendered after shooting and killing a man in Atlantic City and injuring a baby with a ricochet bullet.

From an article:

Atlantic County prosecutors say the 16-year-old Atlantic City boy faces several charges, including murder. He was being held at a youth detention center, and it was not clear Saturday whether he has retained lawyer. 
The youth, whose name was not released due to his age, is charged in the July 29 shooting death of 25-year-old Sedrick Lindo, who was shot while sitting on a porch outside the Carver Hall apartments in Atlantic City. 
A 3-month-old baby suffered undisclosed injuries when he was hit in the chest by what was believed to be shrapnel from a ricocheted bullet.

The article did not say how the boy got his gun.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Shooting threat delays high school football game in New Jersey

A "credible shooting threat" delayed a football game at a high school in Teaneck, New Jersey.

From an article:

Teaneck police said they are still working to determine who made the threat and why it happened. Extra police officers were on duty at the school on Sunday, but no problems were reported during the game. 
Details on the threat and its target have not been released, but Teaneck athletic director Todd Sinclair called it "credible."

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/16/4825571/shooting-threat-delays-high-school.html#storylink=cpy


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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

12-year old boy killed by 14-year old half brother in Jersey City

Hasson "Hass" George, age 12
A 12-year old Jersey City boy, named Hasson "Hass" George, was visiting the home of his half brother, who was the son of a corrections officer, Shaara Green-Simms.  Hasson was apparently shot once in the chest by his 14-year old half-brother, dying in the home or just outside the home, where his body was found.  Green-Simms' Corrections Department-issued gun was used in the shooting.  Both boys have the same father.

Hasson was apparently an honor roll student.

It is not known yet if the shooting was deliberate or unintentional.  The mother was apparently home at the time of the shooting.

However, prosecutors say Hasson's body was moved from the house where he was shot in Jersey City, New Jersey, Friday to the street outside -- likely while he was still alive, struggling for his life.
The boy was a fifth-grader at a local elementary school and was well-known in the working-class neighborhood were he lived.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

UPDATE (3/18/12): The 14-year old half-brother has now made his first court appearance.  From the article:

The 14-year-old Jersey City boy charged with killing his 12-year-old half brother has made his first court appearance on charges that include aggravated manslaughter.
....
Prosecutors say the two boys were alone in the apartment when the 14-year-old loaded the semiautomatic handgun. Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio has said the gun was not safeguarded by a trigger lock and was not in a lock-box.
The 14-year-old pointed the gun at Hasson’s chest, pulled the trigger, and then put the gun away and dragged the wounded boy out of the apartment and to the sidewalk, DeFazio said. The defendant then called 911 to report someone had been shot outside the residence, reports said.
Hasson was still alive when a passerby came upon him on the sidewalk, but he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
Prosecutors do not allege the killing was premeditated or purposeful, but that it was an act manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. The 14-year-old is also charged with hindering his own apprehension and one weapons count.
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Friday, February 24, 2012

17-year old New Jersey boy shot and killed across from elementary school

17-year old Damel Mitchell was a good kid, apparently, but received a phone call that led him to go to an athletic field across from a Roselle, New Jersey elementary school.  There, at 10:30 in the morning, he was shot dead.

From the article and video:
Seventeen-year-old Damel Mitchell was a good kid, intelligent and one of a kind according to his friends, but on Monday morning his young life was cut short. His friends told PIX11 that Mitchell received a phone call in the morning, telling him to meet someone at the Sylvester Land Field -- which he did.

According to police, officers were called just a little before 11am Monday to report a shooting. They responded and found Mitchell at the athletic field -- he was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives canvassed the area, looking for evidence, and say their investigation is still continuing, but no arrests have been made yet.

Adults, who work with area youth, said Mitchell's murder is heartbreaking, especially because Sylvester Land Field was donated to the community by the town to deter kids from violence.
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Thursday, February 23, 2012

11-year old New Jersey girl shot in face

An 11-year old Asbury Park, New Jersey, girl was cleaning her room when gunmen outside shot at her house, apparently targeting another occupant of the home.  She was shot in the face and is in critical condition.

From the article:
A dispute police say was tied to drugs has left an 11-year-old girl fighting for her life after she was hit by a stray bullet while cleaning her room over the weekend.

The girl was in her home in the 1000 block of Monroe Avenue when one or more gunmen, apparently targeting another occupant, opened fire from the street after 9 p.m. Sunday, police Capt. Anthony Salerno told the Asbury Park Press.
The girl, struck in the face, was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

UPDATE (3/17/12):  An arrest has been made:  Tyree Kirkpatrick, 23, of Asbury Park.  From that article:

The girl spent several days in critical condition and is now considered stable, the Monmouth County prosecutor's office said.
From another follow-up article:
Police at the time said the shooting was motivated by drugs and aimed at another occupant of the residence. No one else was injured in the shooting.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Two boys rob another boy at gunpoint in Jersey City and try to rob a man

Two Jersey City boys robbed another boy at gunpoint for a video game, then try to rob a grown man but were foiled.

From the article:
[The first young victim] told police one boy grabbed him from behind and held a knife to his throat while the other stood in front of him pointing a silver handgun at his stomach, reports said. The boy with the gun said “Give me all you have” and they ran off with the victim’s Battle Field 3 PlayStation Game, reports said.
The young victim described both robbers as being about 12-years-old and said the boy with the gun was wearing a green jacket, reports said.
....
At 5:50 p.m. Monday a 58-year-old man was near his home at Mercer Loop and Ristaino Drive when a thrown bottle shattered beside him and he turned to see two 12 to 15-year-old boys, reports said.
One boy said “Give me everything you have,” and the man began backing toward his home when he saw the other boy had a metal rod in one hand, a bottle in the other, and was motioning toward his waistline as though he had a hidden weapon too, reports said.
The victim said “I don’t have anything on me now, but I have something in my house for you,” reports said, adding that he quickly entered his home and locked the door. The boys waited in front of the residence for about five minutes and left only after the victim’s daughter called police, reports said.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

14-year old boy wounded from apparent stray bullet in New Jersey

A 14-year old boy was exiting a store in Paterson, New Jersey, when a gun fight erupted a block and a half away. Two men were killed and two were wounded, but one of the bullets hit the boy in the arm.

The boy is in stable condition.

Bullets don't know when to stop.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

16-year old robber arrested after shooting to men to death


A 16-year old was arrested after having shot to death two people in robberies in Newark. One victim was a mini-mart attendant who didn't hand over cash fast enough, and the other was a robbery victim who didn't hand over his wallet fast enough.

Two other young men, aged 18 and 19, were arrested for aiding and abetting the 16-year old, one of whom acted as a lookout, the other as a driver.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

10-year old boy shoots his leg while playing with an unsecured gun

A 10-year old Keyport, New Jersey boy was at his home, playing with an unsecured, loaded gun.

From the article:

Authorities say a young boy escaped serious injury when he accidentally shot himself in the leg while playing with a gun in his central New Jersey home.

The 10-year-old Keyport boy, whose name was not disclosed, needed stiches and was being kept in the hospital overnight for observation. But authorities say he won’t require surgery and should fully recover.


Adults were home at the time of the shooting.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Monday, January 9, 2012

7-year old Newark girl injured in head

An adult and a 7-year old girl were injured in a shooting in Newark, New Jersey.

From the article:

Police were still investigating and would not immediately comment. A local reverend, Alfreddy Fletcher, told NBC New York he met with the father of the young victim and it appeared a bullet grazed the left side of the girl's head.

Police were looking for two men seen running down Sherman Avenue shortly after the shooting.
The relationship between the victims was not clear, and a motive wasn't immediately apparent.
"There's too much gun violence," said community activist Donna Jackson. "There's too much lack of attention in this city to get these guns off the street."

ADDENDUM (1/9/12): An additional article on this.  The shooting was in a stairwell. The man was 27 and injured in the arms and buttocks.  It's unclear if the girl was directly shot or was injured by debris from the shooting.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

2-year old Mikhy Robinson shot and killed in Newark


2-year old Mikhy Robinson was shot to death, allegedly by 27-year old Wakir Bryant, who was staying the night with the toddler and Mikhy's mother. Bryant had a criminal record, but still owned a gun and had brought it with him.

From the article:

Mikhy's mother, who is not charged and who authorities have not named, said she awoke to the sound of a gunshot in her apartment that morning and saw her son, shot in the head, covered in blood.

Bryant was repeating the words, "I'm so sorry," she later told authorities.

Bryant, who allegedly went to the woman's home that night with the gun, called an ambulance after the shooting. But the ambulance did not arrive fast enough and he drove the boy and the boy's mother to the hospital, authorities have said. After he dropped Mikhy and his mother off at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, he left the scene, authorities said.

(a related article)