In the late afternoon of a cold Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, the life of Angel Montanez, a 51-year-old Hispanic man, was brought to an abrupt and violent end. On February 16, 2019, at approximately 5:00 p.m., gunfire erupted in the area of 1100 Broad Street, a busy thoroughfare in the city's downtown. When the chaos subsided, three men had been struck by bullets. Emergency services were quick to respond, but for Montanez, it was too late.
He was pronounced dead at the scene just fifteen minutes after the shooting.
The two other male victims wounded in the attack were transported to University Hospital for treatment. Both were reported to be in stable condition, fortunate to have survived the incident that claimed Montanez's life. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office, in conjunction with the Newark Department of Public Safety, immediately launched an investigation into the triple shooting. Detectives canvassed the area, searching for evidence and appealing to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of those responsible for the brazen act of violence.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the case has grown cold. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Angel Montanez, and authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or a potential motive for the shooting. The lack of resolution has left a lingering sense of injustice for his family and the community. In the wake of his death, a GoFundMe campaign was established to help his grieving family, which included several siblings, with the unexpected funeral costs. The memory of Angel Montanez is now tragically intertwined with the unsolved violence that cut his life short on that winter day in Newark.
