Alleged gunman in shooting of 9-year-old in Newark, N.J. facing first-degree murder charge
NEWARK, N.J. -- Authorities have charged a man with the murder of a 9-year-old boy in Newark.
Mayor Ras Baraka and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office discussed the case during a news conference on Thursday morning.
"There is no motive that justifies what happened"
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Jesse J. Dunbar II, has been hit with first-degree murder and a slew of other charges in last week's killing of Yasin Morrison.
Assigned a public defender, Dunbar appeared virtually before a judge on Thursday and his attorney entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. He is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Officer said it had up to 50 people, including 20 at the scene, working on the case and determined to solve the horrific killing. A reward was offered in the case, but prosecutors said no one has claimed it because the arrest was the result of dogged police work.
"We can't bring the young man back, but we certainly can make sure people pay for taking the lives of innocent folks in our city," Baraka said, later adding, "These incidents won't go unanswered. We will come after you hard and quick."
"People ask us what the motive is. There is no motive that justifies what happened," Essex County Chief of Detectives Capt. Mitchell G. McGuire said.
The criminal complaint says the suspect fired 10 shots from a great distance, with at least one striking an unidentified man, who survived. Court papers say that man was running past the Morrison family at the time of the shooting, which has prompted prosecutors to investigate if he was the intended target.
"We just heard gunshot and shooting and then the next thing we saw was Yasin laying on the sidewalk," said Tisha Bolden, the boy's grandmother.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, surveillance video shows Yasin's dad carrying his other child, a 3-year-old, and closing a car door to protect his family before attempting to render aid to his son. The affidavit also says video shows Dunbar leaving the scene and then getting dropped off by a Lyft rideshare vehicle at another location. That ride, court papers say, was traced back to him.
"[Yasin] just appears to be the most innocent of bystanders," Stephens said. "The family had no idea, nothing."
"He just was the sweetest boy"
"I'm happy that they caught the person, but it will never bring him back," LaTaisha Morrison, Yasin's aunt, said Wednesday.
Balloons mark the spot where the 9-year-old was shot. His grieving grandmother said he was a compassionate little boy.
"He just was the sweetest boy. He like "The Incredibles." He like "Toy Story." He like chicken nuggets. And he loved his family," Bolden said. "He taught me unconditional love. He taught patience. He taught humility. He taught me so many things that I just ... I'm going to miss that every day."
