Police say gunshots leave two Newark men dead, one woman hurt

NEWARK — A triple shooting in the city's Central Ward left two people dead on Saturday.

Two men and a woman were sitting outside a residential complex on Mercer Street, across from a funeral home, when someone walked up and fired at the men, according to acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II.

Jasson Duffy, 30, and Hassan Ward, 30, both of Newark, were killed while the woman was hit by a stray bullet, according to Stephens. The identity of the woman was not disclosed, nor a possible motive for the shootings.

Police at the scene told RLS Metro Breaking News more than a dozen shots were fired.

An analysis of Newark crime stats by PIX 11 shows the city had only five homicides in during the summer months including none in the past 35 days.

The investigation is active and ongoing, according to Stephens.  The prosecutor asked
anyone with information about the incident to contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

More from New Jersey 101.5