Homicide Occurs at Liquor Store

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office has confirmed that a homicide apparently occured inside of Chestnut Liquors around 9:30 p.m.

West Orange police and investigators from the prosecutor's office have cordoned off the area around the liquor store. A man could be heard crying in anguish earlier, saying that his nephew worked inside the store.

Police were called to 47 Chestnut St. shortly after 9:30 p.m. A 14-year-old boy who lives in the area, but was not identified because he is a juvenile, said he heard shots being fired while he was at nearby Colgate Park. A short time later, he said he saw police swarm the area.

Ana Frontero, who lives on Whittlesey Avenue, was among the neighbors who were shaken by the scene, "I've been living here 30 years and I've never seen anything like this happen." She continued, "I feel so bad."

Other neighbors said they believe the victim may have been a 25-year-old man who worked inside the liquor store, who was shot to death, but that report was unconfirmed by police. 

Police have closed off  Chestnut Street, between Watson and Whittlesey avenues.  Anthony Ambrose, chief of detectives at the Essex County Prosecutor's Office arrived on the scene along with other county officials around 10:35 p.m.

An ambulance from the West Orange First Aid Squad was previously in the area but left without turning on its siren.

The store is is on the first floor of a two-story brick building. Illuminated signs could still be seen in the store's windows.

The incident is in the Tory Corner neighborhood of West Orange in a mixed residential and commercial area.

There was no information about who may have done the shooting or whether the suspect or suspects remained at large.

Patch will update this story throughout the evening.