By The Epoch Times | Created at 2025-04-03 22:39:18 | Updated at 2025-04-04 15:30:50
16 hours ago
A teen gang member accused of killing a police sergeant in Newark, New Jersey, could be tried as an adult in federal court.
Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba confirmed on Thursday that she filed the paperwork necessary to take over the case and try the 14-year-old suspect as an adult.
The teen allegedly shot and killed Newark Police Division Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, on March 7.
“This is really the way it should be,” Habba said in an interview on Fox News. “If you shoot a police officer, if you shoot anyone, I don’t care what your age is. If you’re part of a gang, you have a repeated history of crime, you will be tried as an adult.”
Habba, who was recently tapped by President Donald Trump to serve as interim U.S. attorney for her home state of New Jersey, said she looked into the case immediately after assuming office.
Under New Jersey state law, the juvenile suspect can’t be tried as an adult.
Related Stories
“He was going to go under the state, which meant that he would’ve had a very low sentence if he was found guilty, which I’m sure he would be. I then requested that we take it on and give it a federal charge and charge him as an adult.”
A petition on Change.org, apparently started by Azcona’s family members, called on the New Jersey legislature to revise the state’s law on charging minors as adults for “serious offenses like homicide.” The petition has so far received more than 18,700 verified signatures as of April 3 since it was published on March 18.
“Despite the severity of the matter, the state is unwilling to sentence the 14 year old as an adult,” the petition states. “This has left our family in a perplexed and painful position. We firmly believe that the gravity of the crime committed should be the determining factor of the proceeding, not the age of the offender.”
The teen’s identity is not being released due to his age.
Police say Azcona and another police officer were at the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway to question a person about a possible weapons possession. The suspect began immediately firing on the officers, striking both while still in their vehicle.
At least 18 shots were reported, according to authorities. Azcona and the other officer were both found injured by responding officers.
Azcona died of his injuries at the hospital the next morning.
A total of five people were detained, according to authorities. The 14-year-old suspect is the only one facing charges, including murder, attempted murder, and possession of an illegal weapon.
Azcona served with the Newark Police Division for five years, the last two as a detective, and was posthumously promoted to Sergeant.
