A massive manhunt was launched on Wednesday for a gunman believed to be armed and dangerous shot and wounded two Newark police officers Tuesday afternoon at an apartment building on the city’s South Side.
Both officers were in stable condition Tuesday at University Hospital in Newark — one was shot in the leg and the other was grazed by a bullet that hit his neck and shoulder, authorities said.
The shooter, identified by police as Kendall Howard, 30, of East Orange, fled after officers returned fire. Authorities said Tuesday that part of the state’s largest city was still at large after an extensive search by local, state and federal authorities.
Howard is considered armed and dangerous, and anyone who sees him should call 911 immediately, authorities said. He is about 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, with brown eyes and a “feather” tattoo on his neck.
Howard is charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of weapons offenses, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said the incident began around 1 p.m. when a citizen called Newark police about a flyer the department had put down regarding Friday’s shooting.
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2 Newark police officers shot by gunman, officials say (PHOTOS)
The caller reported seeing the person on the flyer at an apartment building near the intersection of Van Velsor Place and Chancellor Avenue.
Two uniformed officers arrived at the building and saw Howard, officials said.
“They stopped him to talk to him and identify him and there was a violent interaction,” Acting Essex County District Attorney Theodore Stevens told reporters.
Kendall Howard has been charged with attempted murder after shooting two police officers in Newark on Tuesday. His search is still on.Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
After a brief altercation, Howard drew his gun and shot two police officers at close range.
On the streets The South Ward neighborhood was shut down for hours and residents were evacuated from the building where the shooting took place. Schools in the area were closed for a short timebut was fired in time, officials said.
The massive police presence led to confusion and conflicting initial reports, including that a gunman on a rooftop fired multiple shots into the street, hitting officers. This turned out to be a lie.
A man shot into the air around 11 a.m. while walking east on the 100 block of Hansbury Avenue in an incident Friday that prompted police to take down the flyer. The police searched the area and found 1 shell.
The man was wearing ripped blue jeans, white sneakers and a gray hooded sweatshirt with a BMW logo on the front. He carried a blue bag on his shoulder.
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NJ Advance Media staff writers SP Sullivan, Noah Cohen, Matt Stanmyre and Richard Cowen contributed to this report.
