Paterson police officer arrested in connection with Main Street shooting
By Jonathan Greene
Published: March 4, 2016
A city police officer was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on Friday morning in connection with last week’s police-involved shooting outside of a 7-Eleven on Main Street, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
City resident Dante L. Gordon, 25, is charged with aggravated assault by pointing a gun in the direction of another, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and two-count of aggravated assault by recklessly causing bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon, authorities said.
Gordon was taken into custody at 10 a.m. today in Princeton, authorities said. He is alleged to have pointed a handgun at or in the direction of Travis Mann, 34, of Wanaque, authorities said.
Authorities said Gordon also injured another man, John Smith, 36, of Paterson, who was in the immediate vicinity when a gunshot was fired.
The two men suffered bodily injuries from fragment or debris when Gordon fired one shot from his handgun outside of 262 Main Street at around 1:20 a.m. on Thursday, February 25, 2016, authorities said.
Gordon was off-duty at the time of the incident.
Police did not become aware of the shooting until the next morning at 10 a.m. Law enforcement guidelines require a police officer to report weapon discharges.
Police notified the Passaic County Prosecutors Office resulting in an investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office Shooting Response Team.
Gordon was hired as a police officer on July 21, 2014, according to public records.
Gordon’s bail has been set at $100,000 with no 10-percent option. He posted bail and released with electronic monitoring bracelet, according to authorities.