On the evening of May 6, 2019, Murad Harris, a 40-year-old male, was with a group of men near the intersection of Maple and Chancellor avenues in Newark, New Jersey. The scene was ordinary, a gathering of individuals near a gas station, a Chinese restaurant, and a barbershop. Shortly after 7 p.m., this normalcy was shattered by the arrival of a stolen Dodge Durango. Occupants of the vehicle began firing at the group, causing chaos as the men scattered for safety.
In the midst of the mayhem, one of the assailants, Tymeer Gumbs, exited the Durango and specifically targeted Harris. As Harris tried to flee, Gumbs pursued him and fatally shot him in the back of the head. After the targeted attack, Gumbs returned to the vehicle, where he attempted to shoot another man, but the weapon jammed. The Durango then sped away, eluding a police pursuit.
Murad Harris was pronounced dead in the early hours of the following morning.
An investigation by the Essex County Homicide Task Force led to the identification and arrest of two suspects: Tymeer Gumbs and Isaiah Kane, both 25 years old and residents of Newark. The investigation revealed that the two had conspired to commit the murder. Gumbs was subsequently charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, weapons offenses, and hindering his own prosecution. Kane faced charges of conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated manslaughter, weapons offenses, and eluding police.
In November 2023, a jury found both Tymeer Gumbs and Isaiah Kane guilty of the charges brought against them. For his role in the death of Murad Harris, Gumbs faced the possibility of a life sentence in prison, while Kane was looking at several decades behind bars. The sentencing for both men was scheduled for February 8, 2024.
