PATERSON, NJ – Paterson, New Jersey has been ground zero for the radical uptick in deadly gun and gang violence across New Jersey that left nearly one dozen dead and dozens of others shot across the state. Violence in New Jersey is heating up, but according to Governor Phil Murphy, it’s a combination of two things.
First, Murphy said inner-city residents have been ‘unshackled’, his words after being locked up for the past year under his extended COVID-19 lockdown and quarantine. The other reason for the increase in deadly shootings in the inner cities of New Jersey is the ongoing heatwave…according to Murphy.
Murphy blames the violence on those two issues and doesn’t have any realistic plans on the table to curb the violence Republicans say was created after the governor handcuffed police officers with rounds of crime-friendly police reforms.
“Everybody wants to get out there and unshackle themselves from this pandemic,” Murphy said of the rise in violent crime across the state. “Listen, it’s not specific to Atlantic City. This is not unique to New Jersey. There’s a lot of behavior right now. I suspect partly due to coming out from the pandemic; 95 degree, high humidity weather does not help. There’s a lot of kinetic activity in the state right now and in the country.”
July has started off this week as one of the deadliest weeks on record in New Jersey.
Here is just a slice of what has happened across New Jersey in the past week:
Police Searching For Suspects Involved In Drive-By Shooting Of Teen
Teen Shot And Killed Tuesday Afternoon In Passaic
Man Shot Dead In Hillside
Two Teens Shot, One Killed In Trenton
Young Girl Killed In Drive-By Shooting In New Jersey On Fourth Of July
Two Shot Dead In Irvington On Fourth Of July