Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of a 16-year-old juvenile from Bergen County on charges stemming from a shooting. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Ridgefield Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Joseph Rella.
On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at approximately 7:26 p.m., the Ridgefield Park Police Department responded to a report of a person bleeding at a private residence in town. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 15-year-old female who suffered an apparent gunshot wound to the back. The victim was transported to an area hospital, and she remains hospitalized in critical condition. Responding officers quickly took a 16-year-old male into custody at the scene. Accordingly, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded and initiated a joint investigation with the Ridgefield Park Police Department. The investigation revealed that the 16-year-old male fired a handgun inside the residence, seriously wounding the 15-year-old female.
As a result of the investigation, the 16-year-old male was charged with juvenile delinquency, specifically: second-degree aggravated assault, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A 2C:39-4a(1); and fourth-degree possession of a firearm by a minor, N.J.S.A. 2C:58-6.1b. The juvenile was placed in the custody of the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center pending further action by Bergen County Superior Court Family Law Division.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and Ridgefield Park Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.
