Quantcast
One dead in officer-involved shooting in Paterson | Paterson Times

One dead in officer-involved shooting in Paterson

paterson-police

The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is currently investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place on Friday in Paterson. The incident resulted in the death of one adult male civilian whose identity is being withheld by authorities at this time.

The victim has been identified as Najee Seabrooks by the New Jersey Violence Intervention & Prevention.

Najee Seabrooks | New Jersey Violence Intervention & Prevention (NJVIP)

Najee Seabrooks | New Jersey Violence Intervention & Prevention (NJVIP)

“Najee dedicated his life to reducing gun violence in Paterson and worked every day as a high-risk violence interventionist alongside his colleagues at the Paterson Healing Collective. They have been working tirelessly for the past three years to bring safety and healing to the community, and Najee’s death is a tremendous loss to this mission,” read a statement from the the New Jersey Violence Intervention & Prevention. “It is deeply distressing to hear that, in the midst of a mental health crisis, Najee’s team, his family, was not allowed to do the work they were trained to do. When he needed his community the most, he was denied the help he required, and the police response failed him.”

New Jersey Violence Intervention & Prevention, an anti-violence coalition, urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into Seabrooks’ death.

“All of us at St. Joseph’s Health are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Najee Seabrooks. His death is devastating to many, but especially to his family and friends who have lost such a kind and giving soul. He was a loving father, dear friend, and inspiring mentor. I had the honor to know him personally, having worked alongside him in the pursuit of making our city a safer place for all,” said Kevin Slavin, President & CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. “We will continue the good work of Najee, together with the Paterson Healing Collective, to end violence through community-driven solutions. This senseless and tragic event amplifies the need for expanded mental health resources and intervention programs in our surrounding communities to support individuals in crisis. We are confident the NJ Attorney General’s Office will conduct a fair and thorough investigation into the incident and the actions that led to this unfortunate loss of life.”

The preliminary investigation suggests that the shooting occurred around 12:30 p.m. in the vicinity of Mill and Ellison streets in Paterson. The wounded man was transported to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where he was later pronounced dead.

This incident is unrelated to any other law enforcement incidents that occurred in Paterson earlier in the week, authorities said.

Updated 8:40 p.m.

Top