In the early evening of Saturday, March 22, 2025, chaos erupted near the intersection of 12th Avenue and East 24th Street in Paterson, New Jersey. Gunshots shattered the day's calm, and when police arrived at approximately 5:05 p.m., they discovered 21-year-old JahZyer Montgomery suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The young man from Garfield, also known as Harlem Juju, was rushed to St. Joseph's University Medical Center, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the broad-daylight shooting quickly became a priority for the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. Their joint efforts led to a breakthrough nine days later, on March 31, when a 17-year-old male from Paterson was taken into custody without incident. Due to his age, his case was referred to the Passaic County Family Court's Juvenile Part.
He faced charges of delinquency that, if he were an adult, would equate to murder, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The investigation did not end with the teenager's arrest. Authorities continued to pursue leads, and on Wednesday, April 23, they made a second arrest. Jihad Abdullah, a 21-year-old from Paterson, was taken into custody and charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and weapons offenses in connection with Montgomery's death. Following his arrest, prosecutors filed a motion for pre-trial detention as the case against him began to move through the court system.
