HACKENSACK, N.J. — A fifth man has been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting that occurred in Hackensack last year, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced Friday.
TAHJEE H. GOODWIN, 35, of Newark, was taken into custody without incident in Newark on Friday with the assistance of the New Jersey State Parole Board’s Division of Parole. He is the latest individual to be charged following a year-long investigation into the June 24, 2024 shooting on Newman Street.
According to authorities, multiple gunshots were fired from two vehicles into a crowd gathered on the street at approximately 6:10 p.m. A parked vehicle was struck, but no injuries were reported. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Hackensack Police Department launched a joint investigation shortly after.
Detectives later identified the vehicles involved and tied them to four individuals: QUAYYAN R. HORTON, CHARLES E. KIRKLAND, NAFEE A. HORTON, and HAKEEM J. JONES. Three were arrested on February 14 in coordinated operations across Jersey City and Newark, and a fourth, Jones, was charged while already incarcerated on unrelated charges in Essex County.
“Detectives identified TAHJEE H. GOODWIN as the fifth suspect involved in this shooting,” Musella said in a statement issued Friday.
Investigation spans multiple cities and months
GOODWIN’s arrest marks the culmination of an extensive four-month effort by investigators to locate and connect him to the 2024 shooting. His apprehension was made possible with assistance from state parole officers, but officials did not disclose further details regarding his alleged role in the shooting.
All five suspects remain in custody as they await court proceedings. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has not released information on potential additional suspects or whether further charges may be filed.
The June 2024 shooting did not result in injuries, but prompted heightened concern due to the presence of a large group of people at the scene and the apparent coordination between multiple suspects.
Authorities credited inter-agency collaboration between Bergen County and Hackensack police departments for the arrests, which spanned over a year of investigative work.
