Gunfire erupts at New Jersey arts festival; 22 wounded

<p>Two gunmen opened fire at an all-night arts and music festival early Sunday morning, sending people running over each other in the scramble to safety, authorities said.</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 17, 2018, 8:27 PM

Updated 2,138 days ago

Share:

By MIKE CATALINI
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Two gunmen opened fire at an all-night arts and music festival early Sunday morning, sending people running over each other in the scramble to safety, authorities said. One suspect was killed and 22 people were injured.
Of 17 people treated for gunshot wounds, four of them, including a 13-year-old boy, remain in critical condition late Sunday morning, said Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri.
The shots rang out around 2:45 a.m. during the Art All Night Trenton festival that showcases local art, music, food and films. Onofri said a 33-year-old man was killed, apparently by police, and the second suspect is in custody. He said a "neighborhood beef" is behind the shooting.
On Sunday, crime scene tape surrounded the site of the historic Roebling Wire Works Building that now shares a parking lot with a supermarket, bank and laundry.
Police are also investigating an attempted carjacking that occurred in a nearby alley. Onofri said police are working to determine if it's connected to the shooting.
Gennie Darisme was getting ready to leave the festival around 2:45 a.m. when she heard shots and saw people running.
"There were people trampling other people, cars hitting other cars," she said.
When she was walking back to her car after the shots stopped, Darisme said she saw someone bleeding on the ground, in handcuffs.
"People were running to him, trying to see his face, to see if he's a family member or a friend," she said.
Theresa Brown, who has been volunteering at Art All Night for 12 years, said she was leaving her volunteer shift around 2 a.m. when she heard "pop, pop, pop. I thought it was a car backfiring," she said.
The remainder of the two-day festival has been canceled.
"We're very shocked. We're deeply saddened. Our hearts ache and our eyes are blurry but our dedication and resolve to building a better Trenton through community, creativity and inspiration will never fade. Not tonight. Not ever," festival organizers posted on social media Sunday.
A spokeswoman for St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton said 10 men and women, ranging in age from 17 to 48, were being treated for minor injuries. They were in various stages of being released, she said.
One man with a gunshot wound was transferred to Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Capital Health Systems spokeswoman Kate Stier said they have "at least 16" patients there, including the 13-year-old boy in critical condition. That total may not include people treated and released.
Trenton Mayor Eric E. Jackson said the violence can't be "discarded as just random violence; this is a public health issue."
__
 
Associated Press writers Ron Todt and Christina Paciolla contributed to this report from Philadelphia.
(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
6/17/2018 3:33:45 PM (GMT -4:00)


More from News 12
2:50
Traffic delays and road closures expected as Irvington set to host President Joe Biden today

Traffic delays and road closures expected as Irvington set to host President Joe Biden today

2:20
Sunny and pleasant today, freeze warnings overnight

Sunny and pleasant today, freeze warnings overnight

1:57
Schools in Westchester County announce early dismissals ahead of President Biden's visit

Schools in Westchester County announce early dismissals ahead of President Biden's visit

1:53
Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

0:25
Dramatic video captures car fire in Nanuet

Dramatic video captures car fire in Nanuet

Vote 2024: Ask your questions for Congressional District 16 Democratic candidates

Vote 2024: Ask your questions for Congressional District 16 Democratic candidates

0:24
New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial

New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial

0:24
Breeze Airways expands services from Westchester County Airport

Breeze Airways expands services from Westchester County Airport

1:47
Saddle up for a western-style riding adventure at Hollow Brook Riding Academy!

Saddle up for a western-style riding adventure at Hollow Brook Riding Academy!

0:27
Oklahoma woman pleads guilty in fatal Newburgh drunk driving crash

Oklahoma woman pleads guilty in fatal Newburgh drunk driving crash

0:45
Yonkers officer faces charges in off-duty Bronxville accident

Yonkers officer faces charges in off-duty Bronxville accident

0:21
Dutchess County drivers awarded free cars after completing empowerment program

Dutchess County drivers awarded free cars after completing empowerment program

0:35
20 Hudson Valley public high schools among top 100 in New York state

20 Hudson Valley public high schools among top 100 in New York state

1:09
Headlines: Burglary guilty plea, illegal AR-15 possession, library larceny

Headlines: Burglary guilty plea, illegal AR-15 possession, library larceny

0:17
St. Barnabas High School marks 100 years of education at New Rochelle gala

St. Barnabas High School marks 100 years of education at New Rochelle gala

0:27
Manhattan College and Rockland Community College partnership allows seamless student transfers

Manhattan College and Rockland Community College partnership allows seamless student transfers

0:25
Orangeburg students crowned winners of entrepreneurship competition

Orangeburg students crowned winners of entrepreneurship competition

0:26
Luxury VIP experience coming to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

Luxury VIP experience coming to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

0:26
Westchester County DA candidate William Wagstaff secures spot on Democratic primary ballot

Westchester County DA candidate William Wagstaff secures spot on Democratic primary ballot

2:27
How to protect spring plants from frost and freeze

How to protect spring plants from frost and freeze