According to NJ.com, a 14-year-old boy from Easton is responsible for gunning down a police officer in New Jersey.
The shooting occurred in Newark on March 8, and it appears that the boy is now facing adult charges. We learned that the boy used to attend summer camp at the Easton Area Community Center.
When we walked by the center Thursday, we discovered youngsters playing both outside and inside.
“It’s the heartbeat of the downtown and West Ward,” President Adam Williams stated.
Williams stated that his center is a valuable resource for local families during this time of the year.
“We have roughly 100 kids here today for summer camp. We have our bus, and we take them on pool and field trips every week,” Williams explained.
However, Williams has uncovered that one of those children may have shot and killed a police officer in Newark on March 8.
According to NJ.com, a 14-year-old boy from Easton opened fire on a Newark police cruiser as it approached to investigate complaints of someone flashing a pistol near the junction of Carteret Street and Broadway. We aren’t naming that boy because he is underage.
Det. Joseph Azcona was shot through the windshield and killed.
“It’s overwhelming, so there are no actual words to express. We are praying for the police officer and his family. It’s just something you can’t put into words, and thinking about it now, as you see kids here, is very stomach wrenching,” Williams explained.
Williams described the 14-year-old boy as a cheerful child at the Community Center, which was heartbreaking.
“When he was here, he was simply another child. He was noisy, joking, and playing pranks on his classmates. His classmates primarily played basketball and football, but he had a large social circle,” Williams recalled.
CBS News reports that a federal court will try the 14-year-old child as an adult. Under New Jersey law, adolescents under the age of 15 cannot be tried as adults. He has reportedly been charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of an unlawful weapon.
