A 21-year-old man and a 21-month-old boy were killed in a Thursday night shooting in New Jersey, prosecutors said.
The toddler and his uncle, Morlens Millice, were both pronounced dead after authorities were called to the scene on Cleveland Street in Orange at about 3:40 p.m., according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.
The toddler's father, 20-year-old Richie Millien, was shot in the leg and feet. He is currently in the hospital being treated for his injuries. Family members told NBC 4 New York that Millice was released from jail just last week.
A 16-year-old who survived the shooting said he and his family were outdoors when a masked gunman opened fire, and that he followed them upstairs as they ran inside the house.
About a mile from the shooting scene, authorities were spotted dousing a blazing car that matched the description of one reportedly seen in the area around the time of the shooting. It's not yet clear if the burning car is linked to the shooting.
"We lost two lives today in Orange, due to senseless violence which is all too common across our nation," Mayor Dwayne Warren said. "My heart goes out to the families of the victims involved in this tragedy."
Warren said the city is working to equip residents with tools, like the new Orange TipLine, that help law enforcement keep the community safe.
Local
Family members arrived at the victims' home on Cleveland Street Thursday evening, angry and grieving.
"They better find them before I find them," one relative said of the gunman. "They better find them, know that."
The shooting happened down the street from a school, right around dismissal time. One neighbor who didn't want to be named described the chaos.
"We heard 15 gunshots and everyone had to get down and run and look for cover, we didn't know where the bullets were coming from," he said.
An Orange resident who lives near where the burning car with Delaware plates was found said he heard what sounded like firecrackers.
"As we walked by, a car sped down the street," said Patrick Cassidy. "Within five minutes, fire trucks came and there was a torched car."
