14-Year-Old Charged in Fatal Shooting of Newark Police Officer

Detective Joseph Azcona was killed while investigating illegal firearms; another officer and the suspect were injured.

Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, was fatally shot while still in his patrol car during a gunfire exchange in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday evening.
A 14-year-old boy, suspected of firing the fatal shot, has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and illegal weapons possession.
Azcona, a five-year veteran of the Newark Police Department, was highly decorated and known for his dedication to the community and aspirations to join the FBI.
The shooting occurred as officers investigated a group suspected of carrying illegal firearms; a second officer and the teen suspect sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Azcona's funeral is scheduled for Friday, March 14, at the Cathedral Basilica in Newark, as the community mourns his loss and questions how a 14-year-old came to possess a firearm.