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Christian Orellana, 31, and Steven Jimenez, 14 -- who live together in Plainfield -- were sitting on a front porch of the Malcolm Gardens Apartment Complex on Little Place with an unidentified 28-year-old man when all three were shot around 8:05 p.m. last Friday, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.
The Medical Examiner has classified both deaths as a homicide, while third shooting victim remains in critical condition at an undisclosed trauma center.
Jimenez was pronounced dead at the scene while Orellana died at an area hospital, Robertson said.
The three were sitting on a front porch at a home of one of the victims, when a gunman came and shot them at close range, authorities said.
Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Crime Scene Investigations Unit, the North Plainfield Police Department, and Investigators for the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office responded to conduct the investigation which remains on-going.
The identities of the victims have not been released by authorities as they make next of kin notifications. A post mortem examination will be performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Prosecutor Robertson, Chief Fodor and Chief Parenti request anyone with information relating to the homicide/shooting investigation to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office (908) 231-7100 or the North Plainfield Police Department at (908) 769-2937 or via the STOPit app.
The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
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