Man Shot In Chest Is 4th Fatality In 36 Hours For North Jersey City

PATERSON, NJ — Officials said on Monday afternoon, Paterson experienced its fourth fatal shooting in a 36-hour period, leaving a 23-year-old man dead and another young man in critical condition.

Authorities said that the other victims, all shot at different locations in three separate instances Sunday, are two 19-year-old men and a 22-year-old woman.

Investigators from Paterson Police and the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office have released limited information about the spate of shootings, and continue to ask for any tips to advance the investigations. Officials have not indicated if these shootings are related, or shared any information on suspects, as of Wednesday morning. And, only one victim has been identified: Mary Taylor, of Paterson.

In the most recent shooting, police were dispatched to the area of Broadway and Rosa Parks Boulevard at 3:47 p.m. Monday, said a press release from Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes' office.

The responding officers located three victims with gunshot wounds, officials said: A 23-year-old man from Riverdale, a 19-year-old man from Elmwood Park, and a 57-year-old man from Paterson. Officials said the 23-year-old sustained gunshot wounds to the chest, and medical staff pronounced him dead at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center.

The 19-year-old man had a gunshot wound to his torso, and is in critical condition according to Valdes' office. The 57-year-old man is in stable condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg, officials said.

Valdes' office asks anyone with information about any of these shootings to contact the prosecutor's office tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org, or to contact the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.

Taylor is the only of the three victims that Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes' office has identified as of Wednesday afternoon. Officials said that police responded to the sound of gunshots in the area of Van Houten Street and Cianci Street at 9:22 p.m. Sunday, and found Taylor wounded.

First responders took her to St. Joseph's University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead on Monday, per officials.

The two 19-year-old men died earlier Sunday, officials said: The first shooting was reported at 6:36 a.m. on Oct. 1 near the area of Park Avenue and East 22nd Street, and the second was reported in the area of Highland Street and Park Place at 12:26 p.m.

Mayor André Sayegh asked residents and neighbors to pray for the families of those "senselessly killed this weekend."

"One of the hardest parts of being Mayor is consoling the families of victims of violence," he said in a social media post Monday, adding he had reached out to the father of one of the victims.

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General assumed control of the Paterson Police Department in March 2023, appointing former New York City Police Department chief Isa Abbassi as officer-in-charge. AG Matthew Platkin shared a comprehensive strategic plan for the department last week, with he and Abbassi both saying they are committed to reducing crime and fear on the streets while also trying to repair a fractured relationship between law enforcement and the public.

Related article:

• Third Person Dies In String Of Shootings Sunday In Paterson: Officials