Paterson Police Department Announces Arrest in Deadly Shooting in the City’s Fourth Ward

PATERSON – Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi announced today the arrest of a 16-year-old male from Paterson in connection with the deadly shooting in the vicinity of Broadway and Rosa Parks Boulevard on October 3, 2023. The suspect was arrested in a joint effort involving members of the Paterson Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, and the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit following an investigation by the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.

On October 3, 2023, at approximately 3:37 p.m., Paterson police officers responded to the vicinity of Broadway and Rosa Parks Boulevard on reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found three separate gunshot victims. Jerrell Wright, 23, of Riverdale was found inside a vehicle and pronounced deceased at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center. A 19-year-old victim from Elmwood Park who was in the same vehicle as the deceased and a 57-year-old man who was on a nearby bus were also struck by gunfire but will survive.

An investigation conducted by the Paterson Police Department and Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office identified the 16-year-old male as one of the individuals involved in the shooting. He was arrested without incident on October 12, 2023, in a joint effort involving the Paterson Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, and the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit.

“If you choose to shoot a gun on the streets of Paterson, the Paterson Police Department will not rest until you are in custody,” said Officer in Charge Abbassi. “I want to commend our investigators who worked tirelessly to bring this violent individual to justice. I would also like to thank our County, State and Federal partners for their assistance in making this arrest.”

The 16-year-old is charged with acts of juvenile delinquency that would constitute the crimes of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, all of which are first-degree crimes. He is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, which are second degree crimes if he were an adult.

A juvenile delinquency complaint is merely an accusation, and the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The matter has been referred to the Passaic County Family Court, Juvenile Part, for further proceedings.

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