1 teenager killed, another injured in Paterson shooting

PATERSON (WABC) -- Authorities say a 14-year-old girl was killed and another girl was wounded when shots rang out in Paterson.

It's not yet known what sparked the shooting on Clinton Street, which was reported around 11:25 p.m. Saturday.

They hugged and cried at the scene where 14-year-old Nazerah Bugg, a basketball star with big hoop dreams, died at the hands of drive-by cowards.

"We had people early in the morning going to the counselors, like crying, it was sad," said Anna Martinez, a student.

Fellow student Anna Martinez had been in the chicken restaurant on Clinton Street in Paterson where Bugg and a 15-year-old friend had gone to get a late night meal Saturday night.

"One went off, three, four, five went off. It was really crazy," Martinez said.

An eyewitness who didn't want to be identified saw Nazerah, mortally wounded, fall on the sidewalk. Her 15-year-old friend kept running around the corner.

"She was saying she was dying and we were saying, 'No you're not,'" Martinez said.

Monday morning, Eyewitness News watched as cops converged on a house and put one man in a patrol car in handcuffs.

One cop would say only: "We're trying to prevent another drive-by." Community leaders are worried residents won't come forward with information for fear of being labelled a snitch.

Bugg's death comes about two months after another Paterson girl, 12-year-old Genesis Rincon, was killed when a stray bullet struck her while she was riding a scooter to a family gathering.

The two deaths have many Paterson residents calling on local and state leaders to do more to help end the ongoing violence in the city.

A vigil was held to honor Bugg Monday night in Paterson.