Authorities say two people are dead after separate shootings on Sunday in Paterson.

They say both shootings happened in the same area, nearly six hours apart.

A 19-year-old male was pronounced dead after a shooting on 29 Highland St. around 12:30 p.m. The incident also involved a 42-year-old woman who authorities say is in stable condition.

Just a few hours before, another deadly shooting took place around 6:30 a.m. just a few minutes away on East 22nd Street and Park Avenue.

Police found a 34-year-old male with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Mayor Andre Sayegh told News 12 aside from these tragedies, the city has seen a significant reduction in gun violence.

"In fact, the first three months of 2023, we saw a 66% reduction in homicides and nearly a 40% reduction in nonfatal shootings," Sayegh said.

He credits the city's decision to station more police officers in hotspots or areas of high crime and investing in the city's youth over the past five years.

"Frankly, crime is not necessarily a statistic. It’s a feeling. You can give people all the data in the world but if you don't feel safe, it doesn't matter what the statistics say," he added.