Paterson NJ police are looking into the fatal shooting of a man on a city street.

The tragic death occurred on a Friday night. According to authorities, the 64-year-old victim was shot while walking on the 100 block of Ellison Street in Paterson, New Jersey.

Law enforcement waited to release the identity of the victim. Authorities later released the victim’s identity: 64-year-old Paterson NJ resident Jose Tavarez. This was in contrast to initial media reports that said the victim was a 39-year-old man.

Not long after the victim was pronounced dead, Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale issued a statement and indicated that this was the second homicide to occur in Paterson so far in 2016.

The Paterson Police Department and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office are conducting a joint investigation into the most recent killing.

If police can eventually identify and locate a suspect, murder charges would probably follow. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3, murder is the most serious criminal offense in the NJ Criminal Code. A conviction for first degree murder could lead to life imprisonment in New Jersey State Prison, with a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years behind bars.

For further information about this case, view the NJ.com article, “39-Year-Old Paterson Man Shot to Death, Report Says.”