PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — It’s been two days since a mass shooting in Passaic County claimed the lives of two men and left four people in the hospital, and police are still looking for answers.
On Sunday, around 8:30 p.m., police were called to the area of Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue in Paterson on reports of shots fired.
Authorities found six gunshot victims in the area, all of whom were rushed to a nearby hospital. Two of the victims, a 29-year-old and a 43-year-old, were pronounced dead, authorities said.
The four remaining victims are believed to be in stable condition, according to officials. All six victims were Paterson natives, police added.
No arrests have been announced in connection with the shooting as of Tuesday morning.
Paterson Mayor André Sayegh says that authorities are actively searching for the perpetrator(s) responsible for the death of two men and the hospitalization of four more people, calling it “a senseless act of gun violence.”
“Sadly, on a day meant to celebrate mothers, our community was shaken by tragedy,” Sayegh said. “Our law enforcement agencies are actively investigating, and all available resources are being used to identify those responsible. We will continue working every day toward our goal of zero gun violence.”
Gun violence in Paterson, according to local police, has been down in recent years. Police say last year, the number of people shot in Paterson has dropped compared to 2024, with 41 shooting victims compared to 83, a 50.6 percent decrease.
Local authorities cited “the ongoing efforts of the PPD and community partners to reduce gun violence and improve safety across the city” as the reason for the drop in shootings.
The investigation is underway, and anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or may have additional information is asked to call the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.
Additionally, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact its tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org.
More from Patch: 2 Mass Shootings Rock NJ, No Arrests: What We Know
A 2nd Shooting Nearby
There was a second shooting just a few miles away on Monday morning, hours later, in the city of Passaic.
Early Monday morning, around 3:30 a.m., police were called to Monroe and Tulip streets on reports of a gunshot victim.
Police found a 36-year-old Woodland Park man had been shot. He was rushed to a nearby hospital to be treated for nonfatal gunshot wounds.
Hours later, around 6 a.m., police responded to 171 Market Street on reports that a car had been hit with gunfire. Investigators deduced that the Woodland Park man had been shot in the same area less than three hours earlier.
No arrests have been announced in the Passaic shooting as of Tuesday morning.
There’s been no indication from authorities that the Passaic shootings and the Paterson shooting have any relation.
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