2 Men Nabbed In Year-Old Passaic Co. Shooting Case, Cops Say

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — Two men have been arrested for their roles in a Passaic County shooting last year, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Francisco Bello-Amaro, 31, of the Bronx, New York, and Ronald Rosario, 26, of Paterson, were arrested separately on several charges related to a January 2025 shooting.

On Jan. 19, 2025, around 4:30 a.m., police were called to Madison Avenue and Ellison Street in Paterson on reports of a shooting.

Authorities discovered a 23-year-old man had been shot, but he refused medical attention.

Weeks after the shooting, on Feb. 3, Rosario was arrested at the Paterson Police Department after an investigation revealed his involvement, police said.

It wasn’t until nearly a year later that further investigation discovered Bello-Amaro’s involvement in the shooting, authorities said. He was arrested on Jan. 22 by the U.S. Marshal’s Service in the Bronx and extradited to New Jersey on Friday.

Bello-Amaro is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Rosario is charged with attempted murder, hindering apprehension, and obstruction. He was released on pre-trial monitoring days after his arrest.

The pair each faces several decades in prison if convicted.