Police Catch Suspect in Multiple Shootings

A city man has been charged after seriously wounding two other men in a shootout last night,  the Newark Police Department said in a statement.

Around 6:30 pm police responded to 515 S. 14th Street after the city’s gunshot detection system indicated there were multiple shots fired at the location. A 33-year-old Newark man and a 31-year-old Irvington man, who were not identified, had been shot and were both found at the scene. They were taken to University Hospital in critical condition.

Eric Levett, 28, of Newark, was soon arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, among other charges. A 9mm gun believed to have been used in the incident was found in the backyard of 523 S. 14th Street, police said.

Police have no motive for the shootings but said Levett had exchanged gunfire with the victims. All three men have extensive criminal histories, with more than a dozen felony convictions and more than 40 arrests among them. 
 
“I am pleased our investigators were able to make an arrest and recover one of the weapons involved in this incident. Every weapon recovered is a potential life saved and our collective efforts have resulted in violent crime reductions in murders and shootings this year compared to the same period last year. Nevertheless, despite our notable crime reduction efforts we are fortunate that there were no collateral injuries as a result of this incident,” Police Director Samuel DeMaio said in a statement. “While we have experienced some success, we will remain diligent in our efforts to remove these weapons of destruction from our neighborhoods as well as those who use them as the tools of their trade.”