On a spring evening in Paterson, New Jersey, Rulsy Isael Mata Sosa, a 42-year-old man of Dominican descent, was enjoying a game of dominoes with friends. The friendly gathering took a tragic turn when three individuals approached the group with the intent to rob them. The assailants targeted a gold chain worn by Mata Sosa. In a moment of bravery, he attempted to confront one of the robbers.
This act of resistance was met with deadly force, and one of the suspects fired a single, fatal gunshot.
Emergency services were called to the scene at the intersection of Rosa Parks Boulevard and Lafayette Street shortly after 6:30 p.m. on May 11, 2025. First responders found Mata Sosa with a gunshot wound and transported him to Saint Joseph's University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The news of his violent death sent shockwaves through the local Dominican community, where he was remembered as a hardworking and cheerful man dedicated to his family, leaving behind two children.
An investigation into the homicide was launched by the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. Their efforts led to the arrest of a 17-year-old Paterson resident on June 6, 2025. The teenager, whose identity has not been released due to his age, faces charges of felony murder, murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Authorities have stated that the investigation remains ongoing as they continue to seek information about the other two individuals involved in the fatal robbery.
