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Teen Suspect Arrested In Shooting Of 5-Year-Old Jersey City Boy

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A teenager has been arrested in connection with the shooting of a 5-year-old boy in Jersey City, officials said Friday.

The 16-year-old suspect, who has not been identified, has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of weapon by minors, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of weapons, authorities said.

Authorities said he turned himself into police with his parents Friday morning.

"The police department worked aggressively and relentlessly to develop leads in this case and arrest the individual responsible," Mayor Steven Fulop said in a statement. "Anyone who commits this type of senseless crime will be subject to the full force of our police department and will be arrested and prosecuted."

Authorities said the boy, identified as Jaden Thaxton, was shot in the abdomen.

Jersey City Medical Center spokesman Mark Rabson said Thursday that Thaxton was in stable condition after undergoing surgery and that he is moving and talkative.

The shooting happened around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday on Martin Luther King Drive. It wasn't clear what sparked the shooting, but neighbors say they saw people running through the streets and heard shots being fired.

As part of the investigation into the shooting, officials said police organized a series of high visibility patrols with 90 officers fanning out throughout parts of the city.

As a result, police said 19 other arrests were made for a variety of offenses and 17 motor vehicle summonses were issued.

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