Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that took place on Sunday, in Union and have charged a 17-year-old Union Township resident with first-degree murder and weapons offenses in the death of Jose Diago of Elizabeth and have also charged 22-year-old Willy Rodriguez-Gil, also of Union, with first-degree robbery, Acting Union County Prosecutor Thomas K. Isenhour announced Monday.
According to Isenhour, at approximately 2:30 p.m. on that date, Union Police Department patrol units -- responding to a report of shots being fired -- arrived at the 700 block of Trotting Road to find 19-year-old Jose Diago suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.
Medics Pronounced Mr. Diago dead at the scene.
Following a an investigation by several law enforcement agencies, including the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force, the Union Township and Mountainside Police Departments, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the juvenile was charged with first-degree murder and second-degree weapons offenses and charged Rodriguez-Gil with first-degree robbery.
Authorities said the juvenile was taken into custody and transported to the Union County Juvenile Detention Center, where he is currently being housed.
Police arrested Rodriguez-Gil and forwarded him to the Union County Jail pending a first-appearance.
This investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about the death of Mr. Diago is being urged to contact Union County Homicide Task Force Detective Sergeant Michael Manochio at (908) 966-2287 or Union County Homicide Task Force Detective Richard Acosta at (908) 347-0404.