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14-year-old charged with shooting, killing Newark, NJ police officer
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Mar 8, 2025
Modified Mar 8, 2025
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Courtesy of Jordde Azcona
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Mar 8, 2025
Modified Mar 8, 2025
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Law enforcement authorities in New Jersey say a 14-year-old boy shot two Newark police officers — killing one of them even before the officer left his car — Friday night.
The teen — who was also struck by gunfire — has been charged with murder, attempted murder and weapons possession, Newark and Essex County authorities said at a press conference Saturday morning. They have not released his name, and have not said who shot first.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said officers arrived near the intersection of Broadway and Carteret Street around 6:30 p.m. because of “criminal intelligence" about people with illegal weapons. Gunfire erupted between police and people at the scene, and 26-year-old detective Joseph Azcona was struck and killed while still in his patrol car, Stephens said.
A second officer who was struck remained in stable condition as of Saturday morning, according to a spokesperson for Stephens’s office. Authorities have not disclosed that officer’s name.
The 14-year-old was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, Stephens said. The prosecutor said the teen was arrested along with four other people, though Stephens did not say what they were charged with or whether they were also teens.
Azcona was a five-year veteran of the force who was promoted to detective two years ago, according to officials and his younger brother, who spoke to Gothamist by phone. After Azcona’s promotion, he was assigned to the Intelligence unit, which often gets called in to investigate cases where people might have illegal weapons.
“There's always fear, you know? 'Cause as a cop, you never know if you're going to make it back home,” Jordde Azcona said about his older brother. “But … he loved what he did.”
Jordde Azcona said he’s been heartbroken by anti-police comments he’s seen on social media in the hours since his brother’s death.
“Some people are proud of what happened to him,” he said. “I can't believe this is the city we live in. … You know, everybody just looks at it as, ‘Oh, a cop died,’ but nobody knows my brother, the person he was.”
Jordde Azcona said his brother usually partnered up with their cousin, who was also a police officer. But he happened to be working with a different partner yesterday, he said.
“They worked together every day. So we’re all heartbroken,” he said.
At the press conference Saturday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said it was "sad that our system has not figured out how to keep guns out of kids' hands or we haven't figured out how to mentor our kids out of difficult situations and problems."
“ We just have to do a better job. I have to do a better job. Our families have to do a better job. The community has to do a better job at making sure that our children are not handling guns in the street, shooting at police officers," he said.
Friday night, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife Tammy later visited University Hospital, where the police who were shot had been taken, according to spokesperson Mahen Gunaratna.
New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin wrote in a statement online that his office was monitoring developments in the shooting.
“Our law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect our communities, and tonight [Friday night] is a painful reminder of the sacrifices they make,” he wrote.
This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and will be updated.
This article has been updated to correct that the Essex County Prosecutor's Office says police were investigating intelligence about illegal guns when Officer Joseph Azcona was shot.
Tagged
public safety
new jersey
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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