A New Jersey state trooper was injured in an audacious attack in Paterson early Thursday.
While on patrol around 12:50 a.m. near East 28th Street and Ninth Avenue, the trooper was shot in the leg. Responders transported the trooper to Saint Joseph’s Regional Medical Center and, according to State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat Callahan, he is in “great spirits” and surrounded by both his own family and his State Trooper family.
Although one suspect has been arrested, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh stated that “a few” others are still at large and that those responsible will be caught. Sayegh also commented that the incident demonstrated “a warped world where people are shooting at cops.”
No further details regarding the event, including the identity of the arrested person or the charges against them, have been released.
Investigators were later gathered around a car believed to belong to a suspect approximately two blocks from the initial scene. The shooting prompted the deployment of armored vehicles and law enforcement personnel, some of whom were armed with long guns. A wide perimeter was established in an attempt to secure the area and apprehend the perpetrators.
Sayegh, who resides only a few blocks from where the shooting occurred, stated that the trooper was expected to undergo surgery and that he planned to visit the hospital later in the day.
“We will ensure that all those responsible for this violent and heinous act are caught and brought to justice,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Our State Troopers and local police dedicate their lives to the safety of our communities and state. Ending the menace of gun violence doesn’t just make our streets safer, it keeps them safer, too.”