NJ dad killed, 4-year-old son hospitalized in Belleville shooting, report says

🔴 A drive-by shooting killed an Essex County man and injured a young child

🔴 Father tried calling out to his son before shooting, according to a report

🔴 Police reportedly find vehicle of interest in Paterson

BELLEVILLE — A young child is in the hospital with a gunshot wound after his father was killed in a daytime drive-by shooting, according to a published report.

Francis Medina, 37, was shot several times around 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Belleville police found Medina suffering from his injuries when they responded to the scene at an apartment complex on the 100 block of Mill Street. He was taken to Clara Maass Medical Center and declared dead at 3:17 p.m.

Officers also found a 4-year-old boy who had been shot. He was struck in the leg by more than one bullet, News 12 New Jersey reported.

The child was taken to a nearby hospital and was in stable condition as of late Saturday night.

Father tried calling out to his son before shooting

According to ABC 7 Eyewitness News, Medina was the father of the young boy who was shot. Both were outside the apartment complex when the shooting took place.

A vehicle reportedly pulled into the parking lot at the apartment complex and the shooter got out of the passenger's side. The shooter fired more than a dozen rounds.

Medina tried calling out to his son just before he was shot to death, according to the report.

The vehicle then sped off.

Police reportedly find vehicle of interest in Paterson

The vehicle used in the shooting was later found over 11 miles away in Paterson, RLS Media reported.

It was abandoned on Jasper Street near the intersection with Totowa Avenue, according to the report.

Robert Florida, a spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, said to New Jersey 101.5 that he was unable to confirm whether a vehicle of interest was found.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. No arrests had been made as of late Saturday night.

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