Police officer killed, another injured in shooting involving 14-year-old suspect: authorities

Detective Joseph Azcona was shot and killed, and an unnamed officer was injured in a shooting on Friday night in Newark, New Jersey, Essex County Prosecutor Theordore Stephens announced on Saturday. 

The prosecutor also confirmed that a 14-year-old suspect was shot and is expected to recover from his injuries.

The teen suspect has been charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of illegal weapons, Stephens told reporters on Saturday morning.

The shooting happened just after 6:30 p.m. near the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway. According to Stephens, Azcona did not have the chance to exit his police vehicle before he was shot.

Both officers and the teen suspect were taken to University Hospital, where one was pronounced dead, FOX 5 NY reported. On Saturday, University Hospital would not give updates regarding the injured police officer’s condition, citing patient privacy concerns in an email to Fox News.

The injured officer is “fighting for their life in critical condition,” according to a Facebook post from the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association.

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The New York Police Department put out a statement mourning the death of Detective Azcona. 

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote in a post on X he was updated on the incident.

“This is a rapidly developing situation,” he wrote. “Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.”

His team confirmed Murphy and his wife, Tammy, made a private visit to University Hospital in Newark.

“The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office can confirm that two Newark police officers were shot at around 6:37 pm tonight in the area of Broadway and Carteret in Newark,” the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. “Both officers were taken to University Hospital. One of the officers was critically injured. This is an active and ongoing investigation. No further information is available at this time.”

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Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said his office is closely monitoring the shooting.

“Our law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect our communities, and tonight is a painful reminder of the depth of the sacrifices they make,” according to a statement posted to X. “Please keep the entire Newark Police Department and the families of our officers in your thoughts as we pray for both officers shot in the line of duty tonight.”

Within the span of a few hours, there were four police officers shot across the country, according to Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi.

“In just the last three hours, there have been 4 police officers shot, one is dead,” Gamaldi wrote in a post on X. “2 officers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) PD, both are expected to recover. 2 officers from Newark (NJ), tragically one officer has made the ultimate sacrifice…RIP Please keep all involved in your thoughts and prayers.”

He added the incidents were “beyond heartbreaking.”