A New Jersey police officer was killed and another injured after a 14-year-old boy opened fire on them, according authorities.
Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, died as witnesses heard a volley of a dozen or more gunshots near a McDonald’s restaurant in Newark around 6.37pm on Friday.
Mr Azcona had been exiting his vehicle when his intelligence team went to capture a suspect in an illegal weapons investigation close to Broadway and Carteret when the shooting happened.
Newark public safety director Emmanuel Miranda said during a press conference Saturday morning: “He didn’t get a chance to get out of the vehicle before he was struck.”
“We are grieving. We are hurting.”
BREAKING: 14-year-old suspect killed after firing 29 shots at two Newark NJ Police Officers.
— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) March 8, 2025
1 officer is dead, the other in critical condition.
There are no age limits on cop-killers. pic.twitter.com/bMqQfbTZyh
The teenager has been charged with murder and four other suspects detained over the shooting.
Newark mayor Ras Baraka condemned the killer’s “heinous, callous, disregard for humanity” and expressed disbelief someone so young could be involved.
He said: “The community has to do a better job of making sure our children are not handling guns.”
The other officer, who police declined to name, remains in hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N Stevens II did not identify the boy or the other four people in custody who he said were undergoing questioning by investigators on Saturday.
Mr Stevens and Mr Miranda gave few other details about what led police to the group that fired on Mr Azcona, the ensuing police response or the shootout. One gun was recovered, Mr Stevens said.
The NYPD mourns the death of @NewarkNJPolice Detective Joseph Azcona. He was murdered last night while investigating reports of illegal firearms. He served his community for five years, and leaves behind his parents and five siblings. #FidelisAdMortem pic.twitter.com/5hD2i3VIUg
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 8, 2025
Witness Randy Mejia told WCBS-TV right before he heard gunshots that he saw officers running down the street.
“It sounded like a car accident and it went ‘boom, boom, boom’,” Mr Mejia said.
“I thought they were fireworks,” Said Anthony told The New York Times.
“Then all the cops came flying by. I’ve never seen something like this.
“This is supposed to be one of the safest places in Newark.”
The wounded officers were taken to University Hospital where Mr Azcona - who had served in the force for five years - was pronounced dead around 2:30am.
His mother, father and a brother were at the hospital to see him and grieve after the shooting, Mr Miranda said.
New York Police Department said on X, formerly Twitter: “NYPD mourns the death of Detective Joseph Azcona.
“He was murdered last night while investigating reports of illegal firearms.
“He served his community for five years, and leaves behind his parents and five siblings.”
