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http://www.nj1015.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=7508&z=1
Two Under Arrests In Newark Schoolyard Slayings; More Suspects Sought
Friday, August 10, 2007 - Millennium Radio New Jersey

In a whirlwind series of events, city leaders and police officials announced on Thursday the arrests of two suspects in the slayings of three college students and the wounding of a fourth in a schoolyard in the Ivy Hill section of Newark. The news was stunning in a number of ways; one of the suspects is only 15 years old. While Newark Mayor Cory Booker was holding a news conference announcing the juvenile’s arrest, a second suspect was making arrangements to surrender to the mayor himself at police headquarters.

Escorted by his attorney, Jose Carranza, 28, turned himself in to authorities moments after it was announced a 15 year old boy had been picked up by police the night before as they searched for the older suspect. According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Carranza has addresses in Newark and Orange and is a legal U.S resident from Peru. He had three prior arrests and was awaiting trial on aggravated assault charges stemming from a separate crime.

When Carranza surrendered, “He said no words whatsoever,” Mayor Booker said at a second news conference convened after the most unusual encounter. “I had absolutely nothing to say to this individual.” When contacted by Carranza’s attorney, “I said simply, let’s find a spot,” Booker said. The surrender took place at Newark police headquarters.

Authorities said they had promising leads as they sought others believed to be involved in the crime.

According to court records obtained by The Star-Ledger of Newark, Carranza was indicted by grand juries in New Jersey twice
this year. In April, he was indicted on aggravated assault and weapons charges. In July, he was indicted on 31 counts which included aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13 years old and endangering the welfare of a child he had a duty to supervise.

The schoolyard shootings enraged city residents. The four victims, friends and college students between 18 and 20, were shot Saturday night not far from their homes. Terrance Aeriel, 18, Dashon Harvey, 20, and Iofemi Hightower, 20, were forced to kneel against a wall and were gunned down at close range. The fourth victim, Terrance’s sister Natasha Aeriel, 19, survived a bullet and stab wounds to her head. Mayor Booker said she continues to recover in a hospital and was able to help authorities identify the suspects.