On a summer morning in Newark, New Jersey, tragedy struck on the 100-block of First Street. Tanton Venable, a 47-year-old man, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on July 2, 2023. The call reporting the shooting came in at 11:42 a.m., and though police responded quickly, Venable was pronounced dead at the scene less than fifteen minutes later, at 11:55 a.m.
He was discovered in the parking lot of The Garden Spires Housing development.
The investigation into the fatal shooting moved swiftly. The very next day, on July 3, authorities from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office announced an arrest in connection with the killing of Tanton Venable. Fuquan Johnson, a 34-year-old resident of Newark, was taken into custody and faced a string of serious charges.
Johnson was charged with first-degree murder for his alleged role in Venable's death. In addition to the murder charge, he was also charged with several weapons offenses, including second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree receiving stolen property. Following his arrest, Johnson was remanded to the Essex County Correctional Facility. While an arrest was made, authorities have stated that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
