NEWARK — An off-duty Newark police officer was carjacked this afternoon in the city's West Ward, police said.



About 4:20 p.m. the officer was putting something in his Dodge Magnum on the 300 block of 18th Avenue when a male approached him holding a gun and demanded the car, said city police spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover.



The suspect then got in the car and fled, Glover said.



The identity of the officer would not be released pending the final outcome of the investigation, he said.



The circumstances that led to the incident are being investigated by the Essex County Carjacking Task Force along with Newark police, Glover said.

Anybody with information about the incident is encouraged to call the city's 24-hour anonymous tip line at 877-695-8477.