Police identified the wanted person as 30-year-old Kendall Howard of East Orange. Police say he opened fire on officers around 2 a.m. in Newark at Van Velsor Place and Chancellor Avenue. They were trying to arrest the suspect in a different shooting, CBS2’s Kevin Rincon reported. The injured police officers are recovering at the University Hospital. Police so far have no leads in search of gunman who shot 2 Newark police officers 03:53 Officers were called to an apartment building after a resident identified a man linked to a shooting from last week. Officers searched the building, did not find the suspect and began to leave. Then they found him in the parking lot, and they got into a shootout. For hours, police from far and wide, including the FBI and ATF, kept residents locked in their homes. “It was horrible. At first I thought it was firecrackers, but then because there were so many, then I realized what it was,” said witness Rosalind Reeves. Newark Mayor Rash Baraka said a resident called police after spotting a shooting suspect who appeared in a wanted flyer. A few minutes later, police were combing the apartment building. As they were leaving, that’s when they found the suspect in the parking lot. “The gentleman pulled out a gun, shot two officers at close range. The shot was returned, the gunfire was returned. The gentleman retreated back into the building,” Baraka said. This is what sparked the massive response. Officers on the ground, even on the rooftops, kept their eyes peeled for the gunman. The police officers were rushed to the hospital. “One was shot in the face in his shoulder. He was in the hospital, he had surgery. He’s in stable condition. They’re keeping him overnight. The other officer was shot in the leg. He’s also in the hospital in stable condition,” said the Director of Public of Newark Security, Fritz Fragé. The suspect then ran back, but after nearly eight hours of searching, police came up empty-handed. “The shooter is not in the building. There is an active warrant right now for the shooter who is outside right now,” Fragé said. “This remains an active investigation. We are asking for the public’s cooperation and involvement to help locate and identify Mr. Howard. But thanks to our federal partners and our state, county and local partnerships, I am confident that all the necessary resources are being deployed,” said state Attorney General Matthew Platkin. Meanwhile, many who watched their neighborhood turn into a crime scene are upset. “How do they expect people and their children to be safe here after this? And he’s still loose?” asked a man. “If all of them couldn’t do it, someone else could.” “I’ve been standing here since 3:15 p.m., I’m angry and it’s sad that things like this happen in this neighborhood,” said building resident Victoria Emeghara-Owoo.
