In the early afternoon of a Tuesday in late October, the quiet of an East Orange neighborhood was broken by violence that claimed the life of 36-year-old Hamza Abdul-Haqq. On October 28, 2025, police responded to a call around 12:40 p.m. and found Abdul-Haqq lying in the street in the area of 252-256 North Clinton Street. He was suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest and back area.
Emergency responders transported Abdul-Haqq to University Hospital in Newark, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead at approximately 1:06 p.m.
Accounts from witnesses at the scene suggested that the shooting may have been preceded by a physical altercation.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force, in conjunction with the East Orange Police Department, is actively investigating the shooting. As of early November 2025, authorities had not announced any arrests in connection with the killing of Hamza Abdul-Haqq, and no suspects had been publicly identified. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death remains ongoing.
