A birthday celebration turned deadly in Newark on June 26, 2016, when 44-year-old Eric Bryant was shot in the early morning hours and later pronounced dead at 2:01 a.m. The shooting occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. in the 200 block of South 6th Street, a normally quiet residential block. Family members say Bryant had stepped outside with a 45-year-old female companion after the party when gunfire erupted. Both were found with gunshot wounds and taken to University Hospital; the woman was listed in stable condition.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Task Force and Newark Police detectives opened an active investigation but released no information about a motive or suspect descriptions. No arrests or suspect identifications have been publicly announced. If anyone was in the South 6th Street area that night or has information that could help, please come forward.