Paterson, NJ — Authorities are investigating a series of armed robberies in Paterson, including at least two incidents captured on surveillance video.
The most notable robbery occurred on Friday afternoon just before 2 p.m. when a group of heavily armed, masked suspects targeted a barbershop in the 300 block of Main Street. Surveillance footage shows three masked individuals dressed in black brandishing long guns, threatening victims both inside the barbershop and on the street. At least five victims reported that the suspects made off with cash, jewelry, phones, and a key fob. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during this incident.
However, later that evening, a related robbery took a more violent turn when a gunman shot and wounded a 48-year-old man in a nearby basement on West Broadway, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
“We’ve never seen anything like this happen,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh. “It’s unprecedented. As brazen as it was, it happened in broad daylight near our cathedral, around school dismissal time.”
Earlier that same day, another armed robbery took place between 10:25 and 11 a.m. in the 200 block of Slater Street. A victim reported being approached by two armed men in ski masks who demanded money, taking jewelry and a phone before fleeing the scene.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to these incidents to come forward as the investigation continues.
