4 men dead, 3 injured in Paterson shooting
NEW JERSEY - A street shooting in Paterson left four men dead and three others wounded, authorities said Wednesday.
The gunfire erupted shortly after 11 p.m. on Tuesday. Four victims found at the scene were taken to a hospital, where they all died a short time later, authorities said.
The Passaic County prosecutor's office identified the victims as Al Malik Williams, 37; Otis Smith, 37; Unique Jones, 22, and 25-year-old Nygier Barrett. They were all Paterson residents.
Three other victims went to the hospital on their own a short time later seeking treatment, according to multiple reports.
A 24-year-old man was treated and released, and a 20-year-old man and 19-year-old man remained hospitalized in stable condition Wednesday, the prosecutor's office said.
“I want to be clear that we will have zero tolerance for violence in our city,” Mayor Andre Sayegh said in an email Wednesday. “Both prevention of loss of life and public safety are paramount to my agenda and I will personally engage in the process to curb these types of heinous incidents, which steal our young residents and instill fear in the community at large. This must end today.”
It wasn't clear how many shooters may have been involved, authorities said. Witnesses said the gunfire came from a vehicle that sped away from the scene.
A motive for the shooting was under investigation.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.