The teenager was arrested Wednesday night, and the 28-year-old surrendered Thursday as Mayor Cory A. Booker was in the midst of a news conference regarding the matter. Other suspects are being sought.     

      "We believe that others were involved in this heinous crime," prosecutor Paula Dow said, according to AP. "We're looking for them."

      Mayor Booker said fingerprint and ballistics evidence tied the man, Jose Carranza, to the crime. Carranza reportedly said nothing as he turned himself in on three counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted murder and other charges. The teen, whose name was not released because of his age, was arrested on the same charges, authorities said.

      The four victims, friends ages 18 to 20, were attacked while they were talking outside an elementary school on Saturday night. Authorities believe robbery appeared to be the motive, however, people in the neighborhood are convinced it was some type of gang initiation.

      Three of the victims — Terrance Aeriel, 18, Dashon Harvey, 20; and Iofemi Hightower, 20 — were forced to kneel against a wall and were shot in the back of the head at close range. The fourth, 19-year-old Natasha Aeriel, Terrance Aeriel's sister, survived a wound to her head and is hospitalized.     

      Despite being under sedation for stretches of time, Natasha Aeriel has been providing authorities with information about the shootings, the mayor said.

      All four victims were planning to attend Delaware State University this fall. Instead, three were to be buried Saturday in separate services.

      At the Mount Vernon School where the killings took place, members of Newark's West Side High School football team took a break from summer workouts to pay their respects on Tuesday. Virtually all were convinced the crime was gang related.

      "If we hadn't gotten into the football life, these gangs would have gotten some of us," player Thomas Jones told Reuters from the schoolyard where the victims were gunned down, which was marked by candles and balloons.

      "It could still happen," interjected another, Jonathan Quallis. "We're not all out of it yet."

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur35804.cfm




I remember hearing about this on the news not too long ago. What a terrible, terrible situation. They were so close to getting out of there and beginning a new chapter in life by going to college. Innocent lives gone. For what? Who really knows? You can't even mind your own business anymore nowadays. And a 15-year-old is on his way to jail for more than likely, the rest of his life. I'm with the rest of the community. It sounds gang-related to me.

My heart goes out to the victims' families.