NEW YORK - At least five people were shot on Monday afternoon in Newark, the largest city of the US state of New Jersey, which is approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of New York's Manhattan, local police said.

According to the Newark police spokesman, the shooting took place around 2 pm local time in a walkway between two buildings in Newark's North Ward. Neighborhood residents were quoted by local media as saying that they heard upward of 10 shots being fired in quick succession, likely from an automatic weapon.

No motive or suspects have been identified. All of the victims were taken to the nearby hospital for treatment, but their conditions were not immediately available, the police said.