A West Orange man, who became enraged after teenagers pounded his car with rocks, yesterday shot and killed one child and critically wounded two other neighborhood children and injured a police officer, before being killed outside his fome by the officer, authorities said.

Policer identified the suspect as George Proctor, 60, who lived at 288 Watchung Ave., in a three-story apartment building near the Orange border.

Authorities said the shooting happened shortly after Proctor argued and fought with some teens who had tossed rocks at his car while he was driving in nearby Orange.

The three young victims were not involved in the rock-throwing incident and were apparent random victims when the man "went berserk," police said.

"It looks like some sort of disaster in there," West Orange Police Chief Edward M. Palardy said shortly after the shooting.

Proctor, known in the neighborhood as "Mr. George" and described as a hunter and fisherman, was pronounced dead at 4:10 p.m. in East Orange General Hospital, assistant nursing supervisor Margaret Francois said.

Neighbors said Proctor worked as a maintenance man at Union County College.

The injured officer, identified as Patrolman Thomas Smith, 26, of the Orange Police Department, was listed in stable condition last night in The Hospital Center at Orange. A bullet grazed his forehead, police said.

Ivory Smith, 10, address unknown, was pronounced dead at 9:50 p.m. at Universty Hospital in Newark. Kareem Davis, 8, of 268 Watchung Ave. and Joshua Valese, 12, of 180 Watchung Ave., were listed in critical condition in the same hospital. Valese has lost his eyesight, according to hospital officials.

The families and relatives of the victims waited for word of the children's condition in a closed waiting room at the hospital. The grandmother, aunt and uncle of young shooting victim Ivory Smith kept a vigil at the hospital, while they awaited the arrival of the girl's parents, who were in Atlantic City when their daughter was shot.

Bob Arnold, associate administrator of University Hospital, said "clinical specialists" were counseling the families to help them through the trauma.

"Our support team is working with members of the families who are obviously very affected by this," Arnold said. "The concern of the institution is no just to treat the victims, but to treat their families.

"The families are tyring to cope with it, but I'd say they're numb."

Orange Police Director Charles Cobbertt said Proctor became angry following an altercation he had with some teenagers at Alden and High streets in Orange shortly before the shooting.

The director said the argument began after the youths threw rocks at the man's car about two blocks from his apartment. he said Proctor's 1983 Cadilac received minor damage.

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“Reach Back with One Hand and Pull Someone Else Up With You.”

– Charles C. Cobbertt

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