Murders occurred just a few miles apart; three murders in Newark within 24 hours Watch video
NEWARK -- In shootings occurring a little more than three miles from each other, two people were killed Wednesday night, Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed.
The night's violence were the second and third murders in less than 24 hours in the city.
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Little information was immediately available about the shootings, including information on the victims. The first murder occurred on Mapes Avenue near Bergen Street sometime around 9 p.m. A witness who lives on the street said he came out of his house after a brief burst of gunfire ended, finding an acquaintance who had been shot and wounded. The witness was unaware of the second, murdered victim.
Ambrose could not immediately confirm a second victim from the Mapes incident.
About an hour later, gunfire claimed a second person, near 18th Avenue and Alexander Street. Police had cordoned off the area, a residential neighborhood with a closed gas station on the corner.
Witnesses at that scene said the victim had been found in a car, but that information could not immediately be confirmed Wednesday.
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook
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