Shooting At Halloween Party In Edison, NJ Sends Costumed Revelers Running For Cover
EDISON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A shooting at a Halloween party left two people wounded and sent a crowd of costumed revelers running for cover in Edison, New Jersey.
Halloween costumes could be seen strewn across a parking lot after partygoers ran out of the banquet hall inside the E Hotel, startled by a series of gunshots at around 12:42 a.m.
"It went, 'pop, pop, pop,'" one woman said.
Attendees say the Halloween party, hosted by a Rutgers University college group, started out perfectly normal.
"I heard the frats, they were moving, dancing no one was fighting, everyone was having a good time," said Parsippany resident Tunde Dahunsi.
But it came to a terrifying end at around midnight with partygoers fearing for their lives.
"Running and getting trampled," one man said. "Threw my girlfriend on the ground, got on top of her and just laid down, stood her back up and we were luckily right by an exit."
Once outside, dozens rushed into the lobby of the neighboring Hilton Hotel.
"They were running scared," employee Tony Sarih said. "They were running from outside, coming in here, asking for water, like out of breath."
A 21-year-old Newark man was shot in the arm and abdomen and a 20-year-old East Orange man was hit in the leg, police said.
The two gunshot victims were found in a car that was stuck in traffic as it tried to leave the parking lot, officials said.
Detectives were back at the scene Friday, looking through the banquet hall and sifting through dumpsters for evidence.
Edison police say this is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with any information is asked to call Edison police at (732) 248-7400.
