Seven people were shot, four fatally, when gunfire erupted in a troubled intersection known for drugs and gun violence late Tuesday night.
Police officers heard the gunfire in the area and responded to the scene at Carroll and Governor Street at about 11:04 p.m.
Police immediately transported the victims to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center. Four men died and three survived.
Al Malik Williams, 37; Unique Jones, 22; Nygier Barrett, 25; and Otis Smith, 37, all of Paterson, died from their injuries.
Three other men – 24, 20, and 19 – were wounded, but survived. The 24-year-old was treated and released; the 20-year-old and the 19-year-old are in stable condition at the hospital. All three are Paterson residents.
Mayor Andre Sayegh confirmed seven people were shot in the incident.
“Clearly, the severity of this incident speaks to larger problems than urban violence that need to be addressed in the immediate future. However, I want to be clear that we will have zero tolerance for violence in our City,” said the mayor in a statement on Thursday morning. “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.”
Police were searching for a vehicle that was likely involved in the incident on Tuesday night.
Authorities said police continue to investigate the incident, one of the deadliest in Paterson in years. Anyone with information is urged to call the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.