Two Men, One from West Orange, Arrested After Allegedly Causing Shooting Scare at Ramapo College

MAHWAH — Police arrested two men Thursday after a 23-year-old West Orange man allegedly called his Ramapo College ex-girlfriend with a false claim that he had been shot, according to police.

Mahwah Police Chief James Batelli said Gil D. Jaffe, 23, of West Orange, allegedly called his ex-girlfriend, a 22-year-old Ramapo College graduate who was attending a party on campus Wednesday night, claiming that he had been shot twice in the shoulder and attempting to get her to send him cash.

Batelli said that another man, Leonid Shtaygrad, 21, of Livingston, then allegedly got on the phone purporting to be the shooter and confirming the story that the Ramapo graduate should send ransom money.

Batelli said police received the 911 emergency call at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday and said the caller did not initially know whether Jaffe was on campus or not.

Police said they immediately locked down the campus and began a search for the victim. Police contacted area hospitals and other local police departments, including West Orange, where Jaffe resides. 

The police also conducted a trace of Jaffe's cell phone. According to a statement by Mahwah police, West Orange police had been simultaneously dispatched to Jaffe's residence on an unrelated disturbance call. 

Mahwah police said West Orange officers found Jaffe healthy and with no gunshot wounds. The campus was then taken off lock down and students received a reverse 911 call that the campus was safe, according to Mahwah police.

Jaffe was arrested by West Orange police for violating a restraining order by contacting his ex-girlfriend, said Mahwah police.

Mahwah police said he faces additional charges of an attempt to commit theft by deception by purposely attempting property belonging to another, knowingly transmitting a false or baseless report or warning of an impending crime to an unwitting individual causing panic and alarm, violating a final domestic violence restraining order issued by an Essex County Superior Court judge and harassing another via communication in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm by repeatedly texting the phone of another.

Police said Shtaygrad faces charges of theft by deception by assisting Jaffe in attempting to obtain property belonging to another and assisting in knowingly transmitting a false or baseless report or warning of an impending crime, causing panic and alarm.

Police said Jaffe was transferred to Mahwah police headquarters. Jaffe is scheduled to make his first court appearance at Mahwah Municipal Court Thursday. Little details were released about Shtaygrad's court appearance.

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