BELLEVILLE, NJ – A horrific drive-by shooting on Saturday afternoon in Belleville, New Jersey, left a father dead and his four-year-old son injured. Witnesses recounted the chilling ordeal, in which the assailant approached the father and his children right outside their apartment complex on Mill Street and unloaded at least 13 rounds.
Authorities identified the deceased victim as 37-year-old Francis Medina. Eyewitness accounts suggest that, in his last moments, Francis called out for his children. Following the shooting, the suspect made a swift getaway.
The four-year-old boy, injured in the crossfire, was rushed immediately to a local hospital for treatment. Medical authorities expect him to survive the ordeal, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
One witness, who rushed to aid the victims, recounted trying to shield a young child’s eyes from the horrifying sight of their father bleeding out on the nearby ground.
The heartbreaking incident sent shockwaves through the quiet, festive neighborhood, dampening the Christmas spirit considerably. A local resident described the scene, “As you can see – Christmas – everybody is festive. We don’t…they don’t do that here. This is rare. And you’re here tonight and you’ll probably never hear of it again in this lifetime. That’s how quiet it is here.”
The mother of the injured child is reportedly at the hospital with her son. Police are still searching for the suspects, and the investigation is ongoing.