By: Richard L. Smith

What had been a quiet Friday evening for residents along Muhammad Ali Avenue was interrupted by sudden bursts of gunfire, marking the city’s second homicide in less than 24 hours.

According to Essex County Prosecutor’s Office officials, just after 9:15 p.m. on September 26, officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert near the 217–233 block of Muhammad Ali Avenue.

Many residents said they were finishing dinner or preparing to settle in for the night when they heard voices arguing, followed by the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

Responding officers discovered 49-year-old Newark resident Mr. Shakihl Onion in the rear stairwell near garage number 2E.

He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his back and hip. Onion was rushed to University Hospital, where he was p

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