By: Richard L. Smith
A 16-year-old boy from Bergen County has been arrested in connection with a shooting that left a 15-year-old girl critically injured, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.
The incident occurred on the evening of November 5, 2024, when the Ridgefield Park Police Department responded to a report of an injured person at a private residence in Ridgefield Park.
Upon arrival, officers found a 15-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound to her back. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Officers on the scene took a 16-year-old male into custody.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the Ridgefield Park Police Department, launched an investigation, which revealed that the boy had allegedly discharged a handgun inside the residence, leading to the serious injury of the young girl.
Following the investigation, the boy was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
He has been placed in the custody of the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center, pending further proceedings in Bergen County Superior Court’s Family Law Division.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, with questions arising about how the teenager accessed the weapon and what led to the tragic shooting.
Local authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.