On a grim Thursday evening in Orange, New Jersey, the life of 17-year-old Davon Jones was cut tragically short. The young man, who was Black, was fatally wounded in a shooting that erupted on April 14, 2016. The incident, which also left three other males wounded, took place on the 100 block of Taylor Street, shattering the night's calm shortly after 9:30 p.m.
Responding to reports of gunfire, Orange police officers discovered the grim scene.
Jones, suffering from a gunshot wound, was rushed to University Hospital in Newark. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at 10:10 p.m. that same evening. The three other victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at area hospitals.
The investigation into the shooting was swiftly taken over by the Essex County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force. In the wake of the shooting, details emerged suggesting the incident was a drive-by attack. A light-colored SUV carrying multiple occupants reportedly drove up to where Jones and two other males were standing, and gunfire erupted from the vehicle.
In an effort to bring those responsible to justice, the Essex County Sheriff's Crime Stoppers Program offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. However, despite the ongoing investigation and the offered reward, no arrests have been publicly announced in connection with the murder of Davon Jones. The case remains an open and active investigation, leaving a community to mourn and a family still searching for answers.
