Mother’s Day Mass Shooting Leaves 2 Dead and NJ Residents Terrified

What should have been a quiet Mother’s Day evening turned into pure chaos in Paterson, New Jersey, after a mass shooting erupted near a busy intersection, leaving two men dead and four others wounded in yet another burst of gun violence shaking the city.

The bloodshed unfolded around 8:26 p.m. Sunday near Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue, according to officials. By the time police rushed to the scene, six people had already been struck by bullets and the area was littered with shell casings.

Authorities say a 43-year-old man and a 29-year-old man, both from Paterson, were pronounced dead after being rushed to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center. Four other victims survived and were listed in stable condition.

Investigators have not publicly identified the victims, and as of Monday morning, no arrests had been announced.

Sources told ABC7 New York the attack is believed to have been a drive-by shooting, adding another disturbing layer to an already horrifying scene. CBS New York reported the gunfire broke out outside a liquor store, where police later marked dozens of pieces of evidence scattered across the pavement.

Graphic video from the aftermath reportedly showed victims lying on the ground while panicked screams echoed through the neighborhood.

“Help my brother!” one person could be heard yelling in footage obtained by ABC7.

The violence unfolded just blocks away from Paterson Councilman Alex Mendez’s office. Mendez said he and volunteers were forced to run for cover the moment shots rang out.

“Multiple people got shot right here,” Mendez told reporters. “My office is a block away from here, was working with all my volunteers and I hear the shooting, so it’s scary. I mean, this city’s out of control.”

He doubled down in comments to CBS New York, warning residents that the city’s violence problem is becoming impossible to ignore.

“This city is not safe at all. It’s unacceptable. Every other week, we’re getting a shooting,” Mendez said.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh condemned the attack as a “senseless act of gun violence,” while also pointing to recent declines in crime statistics.

“While we have made meaningful progress, with shootings down 60% over the last two years and gun violence victims down 66%, any act of gun violence is one too many,” the mayor said in a statement.

Still, for many residents, the latest massacre is raising serious questions about public safety and whether enough is being done to stop repeat outbreaks of violence in the city. According to ABC7, this was already the second mass shooting in Paterson in roughly a month.

As detectives continue combing through evidence and searching for suspects, shaken residents are once again left dealing with the trauma of another deadly night on their streets — this time on a holiday meant to celebrate family.

Officials say the investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is being urged to contact the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office tips line or the Paterson Police Detective Bureau.

Possible headline ideas:

• Mother’s Day Turns Deadly as Mass Shooting Rocks New Jersey City
• “This City Is Out of Control”: 2 Dead, 4 Wounded in Mother’s Day Mass Shooting
• Drive-By Horror on Mother’s Day Leaves Streets of New Jersey Covered in Shell Casings
• Chaos Erupts in Paterson as Mother’s Day Shooting Leaves Multiple Victims on Ground
• Second Mass Shooting in Weeks Sparks Fear and Anger in New Jersey City