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Anti-gun violence advocate killed in shooting during police encounter in Paterson

The man was identified as Najee Seabrooks, according to a statement from the New Jersey Violence Intervention and Prevention Coalition.

News 12 Staff

Mar 4, 2023, 3:14 AM

Updated 642 days ago

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A man, who colleagues say dedicated his life to ending gun violence in Paterson, died during an encounter with police.
Authorities have not released many details about the incident. The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General says that the shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. Friday near Mill and Ellison streets.
The attorney general says that one man was wounded during the encounter and was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center.
The man was identified as Najee Seabrooks, according to a statement from the New Jersey Violence Intervention and Prevention Coalition.
The coalition says that Seabrooks was in the midst of a “mental health crisis” during the police encounter.
“It is deeply distressing to hear that…Najee's team, his family, was not allowed to do the work they were trained to do. When he needed his community the most, he was denied the help he required, and the police response failed him,” the statement read in part.
The coalition is urging the New Jersey attorney general, the Murphy administration and election officials to investigate the incident.
“Najee's death is a tragic reminder that there is still much work to be done, and we must remain committed to our efforts,” the statement read.
Officials say that this shooting was not related to the investigation surrounding the shooting of a New Jersey state trooper that also occurred in Paterson earlier this week.