Passaic County authorities announced that on Friday, Mr. D’Andre Ruff, 18, from Paterson, was arrested in connection to the homicide that took place on December 16, 2020 near the intersection of Broadway and Summer Street in Paterson.
Officials said with respect to the homicide, Ruff was charged with Murder, First degree; Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Second degree; and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Second degree. According to Passaic County authorities, On Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at approximately 3:13 p.m., police officers responded to the intersection of Broadway and Summer Street in the City of Paterson in response to a report of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, the officers discovered Michael Richardson, 33, from Paterson, lying on the ground in the parking lot of the BP Gas Station with apparent gunshot wounds. Mr. Richardson was transported to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased upon his arrival at the hospital.
The subsequent investigation revealed that on the afternoon of December 16, 2020, Ruff and another unidentified male individual engaged Richardson in a verbal dispute.
police say a short time later both men opened fire on Richardson with handguns, striking him several times.
On the evening of December 18, 2020, officers were patrolling the area searching for the suspects when they observed Ruff and Keyron Greene, 22 years old from Paterson, walking in the area of Broadway and Straight Street.
At that time Ruff and Greene attempted to run away from the officers, however they were both apprehended after a brief foot chase. When they were apprehended, Ruff and Greene were both in possession of handguns with high capacity magazines, and Ruff was in possession of several glassines of heroin.
Following his arrest, Ruff was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, second degree; possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second degree; possession of a high capacity magazine, fourth degree; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, third degree; possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, third degree; possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school, third degree; possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, second degree; and possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug offense, second degree.
Following his arrest Keyron Greene was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, second degree; possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second degree; possession of a high capacity magazine, fourth degree; possession of hollow point bullets, fourth degree; receiving stolen property, third degree; obstruction of justice, fourth degree; and resisting arrest, fourth degree.
Greene was not charged in connection with the homicide that took place on December 16, 2020.
The crime of Murder has a sentencing range from a minimum of 30 years up to life imprisonment; all of the second degree offenses have a sentencing range of 5 to 10 years in prison with 42 months to be served before parole eligibility; all of the third degree offenses have a sentencing range of 3 to 5 years in prison; and all of the fourth degree offenses have a sentencing range of up to 18 months in prison.
The State has filed a motion for pre-trial detention for both defendants which will be held at a future date and time before a Superior Court Judge.