A 16-year-old girl was shot and killed in New Brunswick on Tuesday, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.
A 16-year-old male has been charged and taken into custody in connection to her death.
The New Brunswick Education Association, a local chapter of the New Jersey Education Association, identified the girl as Jazariah Del Toro, a student in New Brunswick schools.
Neighbors told News 12 that Del Toro was shot in her home near North Ward and Lawrence streets.
The student's mother set up a
GoFundMe page to raise money for her daughter's burial expenses and to relocate her family.
The prosecutor's office said police responded to the report of shots fired just before 2:30 p.m.
They told News 12 the victim, identified as Del Toro, was taken to the hospital but ultimately pronounced dead.
"When I got to school and kids were telling me what happened, I was like, 'Oh...Oh no...' because who wants to hear that a 16-year-old got shot and killed? I don't know what happened verbatim, but I do know that her mom is a single mom, and I'm sure these are really rough times for her," said a neighbor who lives down the street from Del Toro's family.
The 16-year-old male has been charged with acts of juvenile delinquency. If he was an adult, it could constitute charges of aggravated manslaughter, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said the suspect and Del Toro knew each other.