Police in Newark are investigating a shooting in the city’s South Ward after shell casings were found at the scene over the weekend. The shell incident prompted officers to return to the area after an initial response on Saturday did not immediately turn up evidence. No serious injuries were reported, and the motive remains under active and ongoing investigation.
What police found in the South Ward
Authorities first responded on Saturday to reports of gunfire near Empire Street and Frelinghuysen Avenue. A search of the area at that time did not immediately produce physical evidence tied to the shooting.
On Sunday, officers returned and located shell casings linked to the incident. Police then carried out a canvass of the surrounding area to check for anyone who may have been hurt.
The shell casings are now part of an active inquiry as investigators work to piece together what happened and who may have been involved.
No serious injuries reported
During the canvass, police did not find any serious injuries. That detail narrows the immediate concern for residents, even as the investigation remains open and no public explanation has been given for the gunfire.
The shell evidence is the clearest confirmed development so far. Police have not released additional information about a suspect, and no arrests were announced in the available information.
Second South Ward shots-fired response
A separate Newark police response in the South Ward also centered on shell casings after shots were fired near Astor Street and New Jersey Railroad Avenue around 2: 30 a. m. on Sunday. In that case, officers arrived and found multiple shell casings, but a canvass of the area did not reveal any victims.
The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive is still under active and ongoing investigation. Taken together, the two incidents show how quickly shell evidence can become the key trace in an open police probe.
What comes next
Police are continuing to investigate the shooting and the related shots-fired response, with both scenes still tied to active and ongoing inquiries. The shell casings recovered in Newark’s South Ward will likely remain central as investigators look for answers, and any new details may determine whether the incidents are connected or separate. For now, shell evidence is the main confirmed clue, and police have not said when more information will be released.
