Arrest made in NJ shooting death of 9-year-old with autism
9-year-old boy killed in Newark shooting
Police are continuing to hunt for the suspect who shot and killed 9-year-old Yasin Morrison in Newark on Friday evening.
NEW JERSEY - Essex County Prosecutor and Newark Public Safety announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of 9-year-old Yasin Morrison in Newark on Saturday.
Timeline:
According to police, Jesse J. Dunbar II, 36, also from Newark, fired multiple shots, around 5:30 p.m. striking an adult man and Yasin, who was autistic and nonverbal, as he exited a car with his father and sister near his grandmother’s home.
"The killing of any persons is a tragic occurrence, but it is particularly heinous when an innocent 9-year-old child loses their life to all too common senseless violence", Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said in a statement Wednesday.
Investigators do not believe Yasin or his family were the intended targets.
Dunbar has been charged with 1st degree murder, 1st degree attempted murder, 2nd degree aggravated assault, 2nd degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and 2nd degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose. He is also charged with shooting an adult male.
'My nephew didn't deserve this'
What they're saying:
At a vigil on Saturday, family, friends and neighbors gathered to mourn Yasin's death.
"You killed an innocent child," said Markeida Morrison, Yasin's aunt. "My nephew didn’t deserve this. Just by him going to see his grandmother. He comes here every weekend."
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. All calls will be kept confidential.