The surge of violence marks the second straight year four people were killed over the Thanksgiving holiday in the state's largest city
NEWARK - For the second straight year, the long holiday weekend around Thanksgiving was marred by a surge of violence in the state's largest city.
A total of four men have been killed in Newark since the late hours of Wednesday, according to authorities. Several others were wounded in separate shootings, though an exact count was not immediately available.
The first victim, 20-year-old Christopher Daniels, was pronounced dead around 9 p.m. after a shooting on Mapes Avenue in the South Ward. Less than half an hour later, 27-year-old Fuquan Johnson of Irvington, was gunned down in the city's Vailsburg section.
MORE: Authorities ID victim following back-to-back killings in Newark
The bloodshed continued Friday morning, when 47-year-old Wilbert Jones was shot and killed outside his home on Leslie Street, according to police.
The final victim came late Saturday night, when Najee Daniels, 22, was found suffering from a gunshot wound near the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Bergen Street in the South Ward - just steps from city police headquarters. Daniels was rushed to University Hospital, but was pronounced dead around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
No arrests have been made in the string of killings, and authorities have released no information on potential motives or suspects.
Katherine Carter, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, said the city's homicide total for the year now stands at 91 - two fewer than it recorded during all of 2014.
Last year, four people were killed and at least eight others wounded over the long weekend, prompting Mayor Ras Baraka to declare a "state of emergency" to combat the wave of violence. At the time, the surge pushed the city's homicide total for the year to 85.
City officials have yet to comment after this weekend's string of incidents.
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
