Suspect in 1 of 3 Newark Shootings Kills Self

Mayor Booker pledges the city will not be deterred.

A deadly July Fourth holiday in Newark that left three people dead was capped by a second round of violence Tuesday when a suspect in one of the killings committed suicide in Virginia.

A U.S. Marshal approached the suspect outside the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Richmond, Va., hours after he allegedly shot and killed 37-year-old Katrina Owens in Newark. When the suspect pulled out a gun, the marshal sought cover, and the suspect turned his gun on himself, said Kevin Connolly, a supervisor with the U.S. Marshals Service's fugitive task force.

Richmond police identified the suspect as Allen Barron, 21, of Pemberton, N.J. The Marshals Service said New Jersey investigators had tipped them off about Barron's possible whereabouts in the aftermath of Owens' killing.

A mother of three, Owens worked as a corrections officer in New Jersey since 2003 and was assigned to the state prison in Trenton. She was killed at a barbecue on Monday, said Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray.

Owens' killing and Barron's subsequent suicide were part of an outburst of violence that erupted in New Jersey's largest city as the holiday weekend came to an end. Two others were killed in separate shootings in Newark within 45 minutes.

Twenty-year-old Shawn Miller was shot and killed outside his housing complex, the prosecutor said, adding that drugs were found at the scene.

In a third shooting, Marquis Robinson, 24, was shot on his front porch and taken to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An unidentified woman who also was shot was in critical condition.

Despite the violent night, Mayor Cory Booker pledged the city "will not be deterred" in its mission to drive down crime.

Booker tweeted Tuesday that the city mourns the victims, and says he remains grateful for "all the many pulling together this summer."

"We are making progress," he added.

Booker implemented a series of new measures to fight the anticipated spike in summer crime after a spate of violent incidents in recent months, one of which claimed the life of an off-duty police officer.

Though the city has been criticized for laying off dozens of police officers, Booker assured residents that his aggressive "safe summer plan" would keep the city safe.

That plan includes increased foot patrol in high-crime neighborhoods and afternoon and evening roll calls held on the streets instead of stationhouses.

Residents have expressed mixed sentiments about whether the street roll calls actually improve safety or just delay crime until the police leave the location.

The proof will come by the end of summer, when Newark compares this year's numbers to the 35 murders it suffered last year.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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