Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio announced today the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force and Newark Police are investigating a fatal shooting involving an off-duty Essex County Corrections Officer.
The preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 10:55 p.m. yesterday an off-duty corrections officer was approached by an armed masked man in the 300 block of 7th Avenue in Newark. There was an exchange of gunfire. Both the corrections officer and the masked man sustained gunshot injuries.
Both were taken to University Hospital. The masked man, who was later identified as 20-year-old Steven McCrae, was pronounced dead at University Hospital at approximately 11:21 p.m. yesterday. The officer, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, survived.
The cause of death was a gunshot wound. A 16-year-old juvenile has been arrested in connection with the incident and charged with carjacking and weapons offenses.
The investigation is active and ongoing. No other information is available at this time.
