A day later, police find suspect in shooting of 2 cops in Newark

NEWARK — The suspect wanted in the shooting of two police officers on Tuesday was taken into custody late Wednesday morning.

Kendall Howard, 30, of East Orange, was located on the 100 block of Chancellor Avenue in Newark around 11:10 a.m., according to acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stevens II.

Stevens said investigators are still trying to determine where Howard went after leaving the building Tuesday night and his arrest back there Wednesday.  The prosecutor would not disclose if the weapon used by Howard had been located.

NBC 4 New York reported that a SWAT team pulled up to the building where Howard was believed to be hiding out on the roof and escorted him out. He was taken to the Essex County Courthouse.

One of the officers, whose idenities have not been disclosed, is expected to leave University Hospital on Wednesday. The other needs to remain hospitalized in order to continue their recovery.

Stevens and Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Frage praised a "young woman who risked her life to assist an officer who had been struck by gunfire as shots were still being fired.

"It's individuals like that  who make this job gratifying," Stevens said. "When a good Samaritan who finds it their duty to really come forward and assist in that environment that makes it all worth while."

Shot at close range

Howard shot at the two officers Tuesday afternoon at close range, according to Mayor Ras Baraka.

The shooter then appeared to retreat into an apartment building along Van Velsor Place and SWAT team members went “apartment to apartment” searching for him, Baraka said.

Howard faces charges of two counts of attempted murder, unauthorized possession of a weapon and unauthorized possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.

Gov. Phil Murphy applauded law enforcement for the arrest.

"I commend our local law enforcement on their swift action to control the situation & protect their community during another horrific act of gun violence," Murphy said on Twitter.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.