3 People, Including 2 Teens, Charged In Deadly Thanksgiving Day Carjacking In Newark
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police have arrested three people, including two teenagers, in connection with a deadly Thanksgiving day carjacking in Newark. A 14-year-old and an 18-year-old are now facing charges as the victim's family is morning the loss of a beloved aunt.
Newark Police announced Saturday morning that the teens were taken in on a slew of charges, including murder, after officials say they robbed and fatally shot their victim in front of her nephew.
MORE: Woman Shot, Killed During Thanksgiving Day Carjacking In Newark
It was a night of celebrations that turned deadly. Family members say 40-year-old Shuri Henry was gunned down just after enjoying Thanksgiving dinner.
"I just said get home safe," Henry's uncle, Curtis Cottle, told CBS2 -- unaware that would be the last time he'd see his niece. "I got a call around 12 o'clock that she was shot. It's just... it's a lot."
Police say Henry was shot just outside her home on South 20th Street as she pulled up in her SUV with her nephew. Authorities say the teens stole the car, but thankfully the child was unharmed.
"He's 10 years old," Cottle said. "He's traumatized."
Hours later, police spotted Henry's Kia Sorento just a few blocks away. After a brief chase, police took three people into custody. The youngest suspect hasn't been identified due to his age, but investigators say he, along with 18-year-old Supreme Allah Jr., are facing multiple charges including felony murder, robbery, and carjacking.
20-year-old Antonio Torres has also been charged with eluding police.
Henry's aunt, Gloria Cottle, said maybe the shooting could have been prevented if the suspects' parents knew what their kids were doing late at night.
"When I heard on the news that it was a 14-year-old boy involved, it kind of reminded me of when I grew up and how my parents back in the day -- my parents always knew where their kids were, always knew," she said. "There were certain times you had to be in the house, and that's not so today."
Meanwhile, the neighborhood mourns the loss of a woman they say would do anything for others.
"She was a very warm, caring person," Henry's best friend, Lyndon Brown, said. "She was a very doting aunt. She was always at her nephew's football games, at their PTA nights."
Now, every Thanksgiving will serve as a brutal reminder that she's gone.
While three people remain in custody, authorities say the investigation is active and ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Homicide Task Force at 1 (877) TIPS-4EC or 1(877) 847-7432.
