Irvington police are hunting the lone gunman who they believe shot three people Sunday ? including a police sergeant ? killing one.

The shootings occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday in the same area. They all took place within a five-minute span.According to police, the gunman first drove up to a car stopped at a traffic light. He started to speak with the driver, a 23-year-old Bridgeport, Conn. man, before shooting him several times. Authorities said that victim drove himself to University Hospital.The gunman then continued driving and fatally shot 22-year-old Gary Farrar Jr. in the neck as the victim walked friends to their vehicle. A family friend spent Sunday morning cleaning a pool of Farrar's blood from a stained sidewalk. The victim was just a month shy of his Rutgers University graduation."He was right in front of his doorstep," said a neighbor who only wished to be identified as "Michelle." "When we were attending to Gary, there were more shots going off and more shots behind us."

That sound was likely the shooter at his next crime scene. According to police, the gunman passed an Irvington police patrol car. He backed up and told the 24-year police veteran there had been a shooting before opening fire again. The sergeant, who was shot in the hip, was taken by ambulance to a hospital where he was treated and released.

Police Chief Michael Chase said the gunman was seen fleeing at least two of the scenes in a light-colored sport utility vehicle. "As far as I am concerned, this is one of the most dangerous and violent criminals I can think of," Chase said.Police said they responded as fast as they could to the scenes, but neighbors maintain that it was close to 40 minutes. According to witnesses, Farrar's father had to flag down an officer, who was unaware of the incident, for help as his son was dying.

Anyone with information about the shooting spree is asked to call police at 973-399-6602.