Police: 2 boys were 'targeted' by Halloween shooter

A Halloween shooting in North Plainfield left two boys -- an 11-year-old and a 16-year-old -- with non-life-threatening injuries and authorities rushing to figure out who pulled the trigger.

The two were hit while standing on the porch of a Coddington Avenue residence, according to a joint statement released yesterday by Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest, Chief Detective Stuart Buckman and North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti. Officials aren't sure where the shots came from, but said it appeared the two unidentified juveniles were "targeted" by the gunman.

"We have leads," Forrest said last night, responding to a question about whether there were any suspects. "We have not charged anyone at this time."

The two boys were each hit with a single gunshot, according to Forrest's statement, which indicated police were called to the scene at 7:25 p.m. Saturday. A bullet hit the 16-year-old above his collarbone on the left side, and another bullet struck the 11-year-old above his left knee, as they stood with others on the porch near Somerset Street, officials said.

After the incident, the boys fled toward Watchung Avenue where they flagged down a taxi driver to take them to an area hospital, the name of which wasn't released. After being treated at the first medical center, they were taken to another area hospital. The teenage victim was later released, while the 11-year-old remained at the hospital yesterday in stable condition.

When borough police arrived at the scene Saturday, officers found a spent shell casing near the residence and "potential witnesses who were uncooperative," Forrest said in the statement. A short time later, hospital staff called police to say they were treating the victims.

County and borough detectives are working together to conduct the investigation, which has turned up evidence, Forrest's statement said. Information about that evidence isn't being released for "fear of compromising the on-going investigation," the statement said.

"Detectives have been aggressively investigating this incident and have been following up on numerous leads and conducting interviews," Forrest said in the statment. "The investigation thus far has pointed to the direction that this is an isolated incident and that the victims were targeted by the shooter."

Investigators are still looking for other witnesses and urge those people to speak with detectives.

Forrest, Buckman and Parenti ask anyone with information to contact the North Plainfield Police Department at (908) 769-2937, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers' Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at 888577tips.org or scpo.net and click on either "Crime Stoppers" or "TIPS HOTLINE."