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Newark Mayor Cory Booker, left, listens as Samuel DeMaio speaks during a 2011 press conference. The two men were paroling the South Ward when the city's 10th killing in 10 days took place near a Riverview Terrace housing complex

(Jerry McCrea/The Star-Ledger)

NEWARK — The city's 10th homicide in as many days occurred this evening at the Riverview Terrace housing complex, where a 14-year-old boy was shot and killed, Police Director Samuel DeMaio said.



The boy, who was not immediately identified, lived at the housing project, DeMaio said, and was shot in the courtyard area. He did not have any information on a motive or suspect.

DeMaio said none of the 10 killings that have occurred in the city in the past 10 days is linked, but the shootings weren't random.

"It's just kind of a random spark-up," he said. "There's been no change in the deployment strategy we used all summer."

DeMaio said new anti-crime initiatives announced earlier today by Mayor Cory Booker will focus on suspects who could be involved in drug activity because at least half of the homicides that have happened since last week have involved people in the drug trade.

"They're not happening at the same location, but the majority of them are in the 5th Precinct (which largely comprises the South Ward) and that's what we're gonna focus on," he said. "Those are the neighborhoods we're gonna focus on right now."



James Allen, a spokesman for Booker, said the mayor is continuing to work closely with DeMaio on the city's overall policing strategy.

"As announced Wednesday afternoon, the mayor has instructed the Police Department to launch "Operation Blue Zone"mdash;a new program to send concentrated police resources and significant assets to troubled areas around the city," Allen said in a statement.

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