Garfield, NJ – A morning shootout at a busy Garfield intersection sent neighbors scrambling Tuesday as two men exchanged gunfire before fleeing the scene, prosecutors said. One suspect is now behind bars, while the other remains on the run.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said the gunfire erupted around 9:07 a.m. at Palisade Avenue and Somerset Street. Seven shots were fired during the confrontation, though no one was struck. Detectives later identified the shooters as 20-year-old Mikhi Maddox Odum and 20-year-old Jonathan M. Ortiz, both of Garfield.
Ortiz was charged Tuesday with multiple counts, including second-degree aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a handgun. Prosecutors said detectives, with help from the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, executed a search warrant at his Garfield home and recovered the handgun used in the shooting. Despite the discovery, Ortiz evaded capture and is considered a fugitive.
The following day, investigators moved in on Odum’s Garfield residence. Prosecutors said he was arrested without incident, but the handgun linked to him was found inside the home where children were present. Odum faces a slate of charges, including aggravated assault, weapons offenses, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Bergen County Jail awaiting a court appearance in Hackensack.
The investigation is being led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Garfield Police Department, with support from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office.
Key Points
- Two Garfield men were charged after a shootout on Tuesday morning.
- Detectives arrested Mikhi Maddox Odum, while Jonathan M. Ortiz remains a fugitive.
- Both men face multiple gun and assault charges, with Odum also charged with child endangerment.
The hunt continues for Ortiz as Garfield residents grapple with the brazen gunfight in their neighborhood.
