Newark Gang Member Faces Court on Firearms Charges in Connection to Retaliatory Shootings

NEWARK, NJ - An 18-year-old member of a Newark street gang, Munir Muhammad, also known as "Mu," appeared in court today on firearms charges related to a series of retaliatory shootings, announced U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger. Muhammad is charged with one count of possession of a machinegun and possession of an unregistered firearm.

On April 8, 2023, three shooting victims were discovered in the Oscar Miles Housing Complex area, with one of them in critical condition. Law enforcement officers arrested Muhammad on April 12, 2023, after identifying him as the primary suspect. At the time of his arrest, Muhammad was found to be in possession of a 9mm handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.

A ballistics analysis confirmed that the machinegun had fired 28 rounds during the April 8 shooting at the Oscar Miles Housing Complex. The charges carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and up to $260,000 in fines.

Since 2021, law enforcement has been investigating a series of retaliatory shootings between rival neighborhoods in Newark. These shootings involved individuals operating around the Clinton Place and Weequahic Avenue area, known as "Cake Block," as well as those in the Vorhees Street area and the Bradley Court Housing Complex. Muhammad is a member of the street gang associated with these neighborhoods, and his fellow gang members have committed numerous shootings targeting individuals operating in the Oscar Miles Housing Complex and Goodwin Avenue area.

The investigation leading to the charges involved multiple agencies, including the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Secret Service. This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark, a collaboration of federal, state, county, and city agencies that pool resources to prosecute violent offenders and combat violent crime in and around Newark.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, is representing the government in this case. The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.