NJ State Police trooper gets shot while sitting in car in Paterson

🔴 The trooper was shot while in his car early Thursday

🔴 Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. 9^th District, said the shooting happened on his street

🔴 “We will ensure that all those responsible for this violent and heinous act are caught and brought to justice," Gov. Phil Murphy said.

PATERSON — A State Police trooper who was hit in the leg by gunfire early Thursday morning applied a tourniquet to his leg before first responders arrived.

The trooper was on a patrol in the area of 30th Street in Paterson's Eastside around 12:50 a.m. when he was shot and taken to a hospital, officials said. The trooper was in stable condition for a wound in the lower leg.

The circumstances of the shooting or the number of shots fired were not released Thursday morning.

State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat Callahan told News 12 that the trooper is a "seasoned detective" who was shot while in his troop car. He applied a tourniquet to his leg before first responders arrived, which prevented him from bleeding out.

Troopers brought him to Saint Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, according to Callahan.

Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. 9th District, said in a statement he was "rushing back from Washington" because the shooting happened on his street where his wife was Wednesday night.

"I have been in close contact with our local and state police to make sense of what happened. Gun violence is a plague on America. If a shooting can happen on the street of a member of Congress, it can happen anywhere," Pascrell said.

Report: One person in custody

ABC 7 Eyewitness News reported one person is in custody and a search is underway for two others who fired at the troopers.  The incident started on Route 20.

Several unmarked State Police vehicles have bullet holes in them, according to RLS Metro Breaking News.

Gov. Phil Murphy in a statement said the trooper is in great spirits and surrounded by his family and fellow troopers.

“We will ensure that all those responsible for this violent and heinous act are caught and brought to justice," Murphy said.

Attorney General Matt Platkin in a statement his office and State Police are keeping the injured trooper in their thoughts and prayers.

"The brave troopers and officers of the New Jersey Law Enforcement community work tirelessly to make sure the people of New Jersey can go to work and live their lives free of gun violence – the same should be true for our brothers and sisters who wear blue. We remain steadfast in our commitment to end gun violence in our state," Platikin said.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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