Newark 13-Year-Old With Gun Among 13 in Weekend Sweep

Charlie Dwyer

NEWARK, NJ – A 13-year-old boy was carrying one of the 13 guns taken off Newark streets this weekend, according to the Newark Police Department.

Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara said this year, there has been a 48% increase in firearms recovered from Newark over 2021.

O’Hara said that police recovered 13 illegal firearms this weekend as part of the Police Division’s ongoing Violence Reduction Initiative, aimed at removing firearms and apprehending gun possession suspects.

“I am grateful that our conscientious officers were able to recover 13 illegal weapons from our streets since Friday,” Director O’Hara said. “I’m especially thankful that they observed a 13-year-old with a handgun and retrieved it before the minor hurt himself or someone else. A child that age should be found with friends playing harmless games that can’t result in a life lost, instead of being put in a position that could wind up ending his life or that of another. So far this year, police have recovered 216 illegal firearms, showing a 48 percent increase in gun recoveries over the same period last year,” he added.


Newark police reported on Friday, that a 13-year-old male was arrested in the 600 block of 15th Avenue when police observed him with a loaded and defaced firearm. The juvenile faces charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a firearm by a minor, and possession of a defaced firearm.


“This morning, police recovered five illegal weapons following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the South Ward. Aazes Wade, 33, of Newark, was arrested and faces five counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons (large capacity magazine and defaced firearm), certain persons prohibited from weapon possession, CDS distribution, and CDS distribution within 1,000-ft. of a school,” police said. “Ramir Skipwith, 24, of Irvington, was also arrested today, after he was observed in a vehicle that was being sought in connection with an April 23, 2022 armed robbery that occurred in Elizabeth. The driver, Skipwith, disregarded police commands to pull over and attempted to flee by driving on the sidewalk at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street. He was taken into custody without further incident and was found in possession of a semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen out of Bloomsburg Township, PA. He faces charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons (hollow point ammunition), possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, resisting arrest, receiving stolen property, and certain persons prohibited from weapon possession.”

Another man, Kane Davis, 23, of Union, was arrested on Sunday after he was observed with an AK-47 rifle in the area of South Orange Avenue near Salem Street. Davis tossed a bag containing the rifle, which was found to be loaded. He is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons (assault weapon, large capacity magazine and hollow point ammunition), and resisting arrest.

Police also reported Nasir Johnson, 25, and Shakiyah Banks-Coley, 21, both of Newark; Rahfee Boykins, 24, and Khairi Chavers, 24, both of Irvington; and Tamia Anderson, 22, of East Orange, were arrested on Saturday at Isabella Avenue, near South Orange Avenue. The five suspects were inside a speeding red Hyundai Elantra following a ShotSpotter notification in the 700 block of South Orange Avenue. Upon becoming aware of police presence, the vehicle stopped with Boykins tossing a ghost gun into the backseat before he and Chavers ran from the vehicle. Both men were quickly apprehended. Police observed Johnson, the driver, with a handgun that had been reported stolen out of Beaufort County, NC. He was arrested without incident. Banks-Coley and Anderson exited the vehicle and were also arrested.

O’Hara said Johnson, Banks-Coley, Boykins, Chavers, and Anderson each face charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons (large capacity magazine), and receiving stolen property. Banks-Anderson faces additional charges of resisting arrest and obstruction of the administration of the law.

Following the execution of a search warrant on a vehicle in the area of 18th Avenue near Smith Street, police recovered two weapons and another weapon found at West Ward residence.

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