“Yesterday, a young man’s life was brazenly cut short by a senseless act of violence that we will never normalize in our city. 16-year-old Letrell Duncan deserves more.  

“Our young people are hurting. And so am I. This shooting has shaken our community to its core, and collectively, we must come together to prioritize and protect our young people.  EOPD has increased patrols in our school corridors and we are taking aggressive action to ensure gun violence does not disrupt our community.   

“We need our children to feel safe traveling throughout our city. Anything else is unacceptable. I’ve been tough on crime since day one and I will remain that way — investing in more police officers and getting illegal guns off the street.  But we also are investing in positive opportunities for our young people to mitigate the systemic pressures and disparities that put our youth at risk.  

“I express my personal condolences to the family and those impacted by yesterday’s tragedy, and I join our community in mourning this terrible loss. 

 “EOPD is working closely with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office to arrest and charge the perpetrator(s) of this heinous crime, and we are asking anyone with information to speak up by calling the EOPD Tips Hotline at 973-266-5041. All calls will be kept anonymous and confidential.” -- Mayor Ted R. Green

“On yesterday, Monday, October 3rd, we lost yet another precious life in our community. A young man who had goals and aspirations, but unfortunately, will never reach those goals. 

"On behalf of myself and my council colleagues, I want to extend my sincere condolences to the family. Although our East Orange Police Department is working with our East Orange Board of Education to do everything they can to maintain safe corridors for our children, there has to be something else we can do as a community. 

"Our children have to start looking at each other as peers and friends, and certainly not enemies. We all are a part of one another in the sense that if you hurt one, you hurt all. I sincerely pray that we will get to that point without losing so many of our children in the process. 

"I am asking everyone to continuously pray for our community. My hope and prayer are that we continue to love one another.” -- Councilwoman Amy Lewis, Public Safety Chair