Police are investigating a shooting that killed a food delivery driver while he and his wife where in their car on their last delivery of the night.
According to authorities, at approximately 12:42, a.m. on July 26th police responded to the area of 404 East 34th Street in the City of Paterson in response to a report of a motor vehicle accident.
Upon their arrival they located Rui Zhou, 29 years-old from Paterson, unresponsive in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, a white Toyota Highlander, which had struck another vehicle.
Officials say Zhou’s wife, 29 year-old Xiaomei Liu, was in the passenger seat of the vehicle unharmed.
Further investigation revealed that Zhou suffered an apparent gunshot wound and was ultimately pronounced deceased at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson at approximately 1:09 a.m.
During the investigation, it was determined that the victim and his wife were making the last food delivery - for the restaurant they own - when he was struck by gunfire before crashing his car a short distance away.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.