Investigators were searching for two gunmen after an attack near a child’s birthday gathering left one young man dead and three others hurt.
PATERSON, N.J. — Investigators in Paterson were searching Monday for two suspects after a shooting near a 13-year-old girl’s birthday party left a 20-year-old man dead, critically injured two others and shattered a family gathering on a city block lined with homes.
What began as a neighborhood party quickly became a fast-moving homicide investigation. Authorities said four people were struck by gunfire Saturday evening in the area of 10th Avenue and East 29th Street, and all were taken to a local hospital. One victim died there, while two others were listed in critical condition and another was stable. The case matters not only because of the casualty count, but because it unfolded steps away from children, relatives and neighbors who had been celebrating outdoors.
The timeline has come into sharper focus through official statements and witness accounts. Prosecutors said officers responded at about 6 p.m. or just after 6:13 p.m. Saturday and found four gunshot victims in the street. ABC7 reported the shooting erupted around 6:15 p.m. as families were gathered nearby for the birthday party. Cellphone video described by local outlets captured a rapid burst of shots, and witnesses said the sound was so sudden that some children first mistook it for fireworks. The birthday girl said a friend had gone toward a nearby store and came back running after seeing two people get out of a car and start firing. Within moments, the celebration stopped, guests scattered and sirens filled the block.
Officials have released only fragments of the underlying case, but those fragments suggest a direct and violent assault. According to reports from the scene, a group of young men was walking on 10th Avenue when two suspects emerged from a black car with guns and opened fire. One shooter allegedly moved in closer after the first volley and fired additional rounds as at least one victim tried to flee. That detail, if confirmed by investigators, could become central to any future charging decision. Prosecutors have not said how many shell casings were recovered, whether surveillance video clearly shows the suspects, or whether the victims were followed before the attack. They also have not publicly identified all of the injured. CBS New York reported the dead man was Marquir Darby, 20, and said police sources identified one wounded victim as a 12-year-old.
The shooting also put a fresh spotlight on a stretch of Paterson where public officials have acknowledged recurring violence. Councilman Luis Velez said the area has long been viewed as a hotspot, and he pointed to past efforts such as security cameras aimed at reducing crime and helping detectives piece together incidents after they happen. But the events of Saturday showed the limits of those efforts when a gun attack unfolds in seconds. Neighbors told reporters the block felt tense the next day, with fewer people outside and a sense that residents were retreating indoors. That reaction underscored the wider damage from shootings like this one: not only the injuries and death, but the fear that lingers after police tape is removed and emergency vehicles leave.
The next stage of the case is procedural but urgent. The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and the Paterson Police Department are handling the investigation, and any arrest would likely be followed by murder and weapons-related charges if detectives can tie suspects to the shooting. As of Monday morning, no such announcement had been made. Authorities had not described any persons of interest, released a suspect vehicle description beyond reports of a black car, or said whether tips from the public had produced leads. Investigators are expected to continue reviewing cellphone video, nearby surveillance footage and hospital interviews with the surviving victims. If the case progresses, the public next could see a charging announcement, a probable-cause filing or a court appearance laying out the state’s first detailed account of what happened.
The voices emerging from the scene have been plain and shaken. Mayor Andre Sayegh said four people had been shot and called for prayer for the families affected by what he described as senseless gun violence. The birthday girl’s mother said the children quickly became frightened and the gathering broke up as people rushed home. Darby’s uncle said the family was struggling to process the loss, describing his nephew as a good young man who loved basketball. Those comments gave the story a stark contrast: city leaders speaking in the language of public safety, while relatives and children described a moment of confusion, fear and grief on what should have been an ordinary spring evening.
By Monday, the investigation remained open, two injured victims were still reported in critical condition and police had not announced arrests. The next clear turning point will come when detectives identify the shooters or prosecutors release a fuller account of the attack and the people involved.
Author note: Last updated April 20, 2026.