Crime & Safety

Saddle Brook Resident Shot in Paterson

Saddle Brook police chief says victim is "lucky to be alive" and should avoid dangerous areas.

A 21-year-old township man is recovering from a gunshot wound he received while in a Paterson area known for high heroin sales, Saddle Brook Police Chief Richard Kugler said Monday.

According to Kugler, 21-year-old Michael Burns drove himself to the Saddle Brook Ambulance Corps building at 10 p.m. Sunday suffering from a gun shot wound to the arm. The bullet entered and exited the right arm, barely missing Burns' body again upon exit, Kugler said. He was treated by ambulance corps members and police were contacted.

The township resident was in the viscinity of Rosa Parks Boulevard in Paterson at about 9:30 p.m. when he had an undisclosed altercation with an unidentified black male, Kugler said in a news release. The man then fired through the open passenger's side window of Burns' vehicle, Kugler added.

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The area is well known to law enforcement for its high level of heroin sales, the Saddle Brook chief said.

"He's lucky to be alive and hopefully he values his life enough from this point to stay out of areas where you have only bad reason to be in!" 

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Paterson detectives are investigating the shooting. They were not immediately available to comment.


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