Detective Kills Former Montclair Resident In Park

An Essex County undercover detective in Branch Brook Park shot and killed Defarra Ivan Gaymon, a 48-year-old Georgia man formerly from Montclair, in Branch Brook Park.

The shooting occurred sometime Friday evening around 6 p.m. The park is popular with people throughout Essex County and is also where some Essex County concerts are held.

Here's the press release from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Anthony Ambrose, Chief of Detectives for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, has identified Defarra Ivan Gaymon, 48, of Suwanee, Georgia, as the person shot by an Essex County Undercover Sheriff's Detective in Branch Brook Park, Newark, last evening. The undercover Sheriff's Detective was in the area of the Park investigating complaints of sexual activity occurring in public when the incident occurred.

It is unclear at this point what Gaymon was doing in the park and what exactly transpired that caused the detective to shoot Gaymon. The detective was rushed to the hospital right after the shooting and was medicated. Investigators from the Prosecutor's Office were unable to interview the detective, but will attempt to over the weekend or when the detective is capable.

Gaymon 's pickup truck was found parked by the scene of the shooting and impounded by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Gaymon was not in the vehicle at the time of the shooting. Gaymon, who was originally from Montclair, was in New Jersey visiting for a social event. The investigation is continuing.