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The firearms were recovered in the city’s 16 gun arrests and three shooting arrests since last weekend, Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said in a release.
“We’re taking this situation very seriously as the City of Newark is not a place where blatant violence will be tolerated,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “We have worked hard to reduce crime and are committed to keeping our residents and their families safe, especially when it comes to reducing senseless gun violence.”
“During the summer months we generally see an uptick in violence,” Ambrose said. “We have had five years in a row of fewer victims of violence. It’s sad, the amount of illegal guns that get into the wrong hands. Imagine if New Jersey didn’t have one of the toughest gun laws in the country.”
Four juveniles are included in the nearly 20 gun and shooting arrests, authorities said.
Detectives are following up with all recent shooting leads and expect to make additional arrests.
“Immediately identifying the people who are committing violence on our streets is the key to curbing these crimes,” said Ambrose. “Residents can review our Citizen Virtual Patrol cameras at https://cvp.newarkpublicsafety.org/ and report anything they see right from their phones or laptops.”
Ambrose encourages witnesses of gun violence to call the Division's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477). All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.
Anonymous tips may also be made using the Police Division’s website at: www.newarkpd.org or through the Smartphone App available at iTunes and Google Play. Search Newark Police Division to download the App.
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