Man Found Shot to Death on Halstead Street

The man who was found shot to death in the middle of Halstead Street Friday at lunchtime has been identified as 26-year-old Joaquin Moton, of East Orange.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is investigating the shooting and is asking anyone with information about it to call 1-877-847-7432.

Moton's body was found in front of 70-72 Halstead Street around noon Friday. He was discovered dead in the street in a residential neighborhood near South Orange Avenue.

One woman, who declined to be identified, said she was taking a nap in her home nearby when she heard "pop pop." Police quickly cordoned off Halstead Street and Norwood Place with yellow police tape and began knocking on doors looking for information.

Moton's body was found near a row of two-story townhouses in a middle-class neighborhood, on a quiet street, which was soon filled with cars from the Newark Police Department and prosecutor's office.

About three Newark police cars and one Essex County Prosecutor's Office van was parked at the intersection.

Katherine Carter, a spokeswoman with the prosecutor's office, said Moton was pronounced dead at 12:28 p.m.

Police on scene declined to comment. A woman who talked to investigators was crying and then placed in an unmarked police car. She did not appear to be under arrest.

— Staff reports