Newburgh Teen Wanted For Murder in Deadly Halloween Shootings

Police are offering a reward leading them to a teenager who's wanted for murder wanted in connection with the Halloween party shootings in Newburgh.

City of Newburgh Police are looking for 17-year-old Nija Johnson of Newburgh for Sunday's shooting at 119 Broadway that killed two women and injured five other people.

New York State Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to the location, arrest and conviction of Johnson.

Anyone with information is asked to call City of Newburgh Police at (845) 561-3131 or New York State Crime Stoppers at 1-866-313-8477.

On Monday, City of Newburgh police arrested two men who allegedly helped Johnson immediately after the incident.

Rainer Hamilton, 21, of Newburgh and 20-year-old Tyson Oliveria were both charged with tampering with evidence, a felony. Hamilton was additionally charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, also a felony.

Authorities identified the murder weapon as a handgun. Both are not accused of pulling the trigger, police say.

City of Newburgh Police identified the two women who were killed as 18-year-old Omani Free and 20-year-old Tabitha Cruz, both from Newburgh.

“This is Newburgh where everyone has a gun,” Miguel Cruz, Tabitha’s father, told PIX11. “They don’t believe in solving anything any other way. Newburgh’s where dreams die and my dream just died.”

Free was a senior at Newburgh Free Academy. She had dreams of going to college to become a designer.

“It had nothing to do with her,” Rhonda Valentine-Free, Omani’s mother, tearfully told PIX11. “Someone decided to pull out a gun. Omani just happened to be the first victim.”