9-year-old girl shot in Newark; investigation underway to find gun, 16-year-old girl in custody

(Stan Honda/Getty Images)

By Anthony Payero

(NEWARK, N.J.) Newark Police responded to a shooting where a 9-year-old girl was injured after a dispute between two teens on Wednesday, according to NBC 4.

The girl was not the intended target and was not involved in the dispute, but her 15-year-old sister was. The two were at their home at the corner of Holiday Court and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, when the older sister opened the front door and was approached by a 16-year-old girl she had been arguing with, Newark police spokesperson Brian O'Hara said.

"Apparently there had been something ongoing between them and they had some sort of physical altercation early this afternoon," O'Hara said.

The 16-year-old girl was accompanied by a male and one of them brandished a gun and shot the 9-year-old girl in her foot and leg. Her injuries are considered to be non-life-threatening, per NBC 4.

Investigators are still examining to find who brought the gun to the home and opened fire. The 16-year-old girl is under police custody at this time. Newark PD said the teen has a previous record and was scheduled for a court appearance on Wednesday. Officials have not identified the male who was with her and the weapon has not been recovered, according to NBC 4.

O'Hara said gun violence is on the rise in Newark. Local police have collected 58% more guns than they did in all of 2020 — especially from teenagers affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"We're talking about young people. They have not had structure in their lives over the last year and a half. They have not been in school and just in general, the community is facing a whole lot of stress," O'Hara said.

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