Crime & Safety
Pair Found Guilty In Union County Double Shooting That Killed 1, Paralyzed Other
Jahaad Ingram, 23 and Zaire Wallace, 30 both of Plainfield, were found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the 2021 shooting.
PLAINFIELD, NJ — Two men from Plainfield were found guilty on Tuesday of a double shooting in which one person died and another was permanently paralyzed in 2021.
A Union County jury returned a guilty verdict against Jahaad Ingram, 23 and Zaire Wallace, 30 both of Plainfield, on first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose following a two-week trial, said Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Plainfield Police Director James Abney on Wednesday.
A 911 call reported the shooting at around 1:55 p.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021.
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At the intersection of Rock Avenue and West Front Street, Plainfield Police found two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Jennifer Vorn, 24 of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim ultimately survived the gunshot injuries but was permanently paralyzed according to Assistant Prosecutors Christopher Desimone and Melissa Caparruva, who prosecuted the case.
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Ingram and Wallace followed the two victims in their vehicle until they stopped at a traffic light located at West Front Street and Rock Avenue in Plainfield, according to testimony at the trial.
Both Ingram and Wallace got out of their black Buick SUV with handguns and fired at least 16 rounds into the victim's vehicle, according to testimony.
At around 8 p.m. that same night, Wallace was stopped driving the black Buick. Ingram was found nearby at the Joanne Hollis apartment courtyard at the same time.
Prosecutor Daniel commended the steadfast efforts of the prosecution team, including Assistant Prosecutors Christopher Desimone and Melissa Caparruva, Sergeant Lamar Hartsfield, Detectives Sonia Rodriguez and Ryan Kirsh, as well as the members of Plainfield Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit.
"I also want to thank all of the concerned citizens whose contributions were essential to the expeditious apprehension of Mr. Ingram and Mr. Wallace," Daniel said. "Our thoughts are with the victim’s families and their loved ones."
Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for Jan. 12, 2024, before Judge Deitch, at which time Ingram and Wallace can face a sentence of up to life in state prison.
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