Newark NJ police are looking into a recent non-fatal shooting of a man who was walking along a city street.

The scary shooting occurred just before 7:00 p.m. in the vicinity of the intersection of 7th Street and 4th Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Newark police got a report of gunshots fired and sent police officers to the area.

When Newark NJ police officers arrived at the scene of the shooting, the victim was already gone. Law enforcement later learned that the victim had been transported to Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, NJ. Doctors at the Belleville medical facility treated the victim for a serious gunshot wound. Although officials have yet to release an update on the status of the shooting victim, it is believed that he survived the violent incident.

The Newark Police Department is currently investigating the shooting and trying to determine the identity of the shooter. Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said that Newark NJ investigators are also trying to figure out a possible motive for the shooting and learn whether the victim was targeted or if it was a random shooting incident.

If Newark NJ police can identify and locate a suspect, that person would likely face criminal charges for aggravated assault and illegal handgun possession.

A conviction for aggravated assault could result in significant criminal penalties. That’s because N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b) classifies aggravated assault with a deadly weapon like a handgun as a second degree crime. A conviction on second degree aggravated assault charges could result in a sentence of 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison.

To learn more about this case, view the NJ.com article, “1 Wounded in Newark Shooting.”