A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with the murder of a police detective in Newark, New Jersey.
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Shots were fired between police and a group on the night of March 7, according to prosecutors, per ABC News. Joseph Azcona, a 26-year-old detective and five-year veteran of the Newark Police Department, was struck during the exchange. He was rushed to the hospital but sadly pronounced dead hours later, authorities reported.
Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran of the Newark Police Department who was killed in the line of duty on Saturday, March 8th. We send our deepest condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/DmoYtKp7eA
— La Casa de Don Pedro (@LaCasaNwk) March 10, 2025
According to Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, a second officer and a suspect were both shot, but their injuries are not life-threatening.
Around 6:30 p.m., police officers investigating suspected illegal firearms were involved in a gunfire exchange, Stephens said during a press conference on Saturday. Four people were also taken into custody, Stephens confirmed.
The 14-year-old suspect faces charges of attempted murder and illegal weapon possession. According to Stephens, the suspect sustained injuries, though they are not life-threatening.
“Law enforcement officers leave their loved ones every day and put their lives on the line for the safety and wellbeing of our communities,” Essex County Sheriff Amir Jones explained in a statement.
“The egregious acts that took place last night have left a family, a community and the brotherhood and sisterhood of law enforcement devastated and with a void that can never be filled,” Jones added.
Mother of Slain Police Detective Reacts to Alleged Shooter Being a 14-Year-Old
Meanwhile, Martha Vargas, the 56-year-old mother of slain Detective Joseph Azcona is mourning the loss of her son.
“That was my baby,” Vargas told the New York Post on Saturday. “He always said he wanted to be a cop when he was little, and when he grew up, he took the test,” she added.
Vargas recounted being summoned to the hospital in the early hours by her nephew, a fellow officer. She never imagined she would find her son on his deathbed.
“When I went to the hospital, he was like that. They shot him in the head,” a tearful Vargas recalled to the outlet.
Vargas was stunned to discover that the individual accused of shooting her son was just 14 years old.
“It’s crazy. It’s crazy. A young kid,” she told the Post.
“Sometimes you can blame the parents but sometimes you can’t. You don’t know what they’re doing. You cannot blame them. I don’t blame the parents, believe me,” Vargas added.
“You know how kids are when they get with other kids.”
Detective Joseph Azcona’s funeral will be held on Friday.