John Anthony DeLeon, a 26-year-old male resident of Paterson, New Jersey, was fatally shot on the afternoon of March 8, 2022. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Victor Street in Lodi, where police responded to a 911 call reporting gunfire. Upon arrival, officers discovered DeLeon with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting, described as a drive-by, led to the identification and arrest of three suspects. Giovanni Feliciano, 22, of Garfield, and Jefersson Gonzalez, 21, of Paterson, were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and various weapons and drug-related offenses.
A third individual, 24-year-old Elvis DeJesus of Paterson, was also arrested and faced charges related to weapons and drugs.
Coordinated raids resulted in the apprehension of the suspects and the seizure of multiple firearms, a high-capacity magazine, and a variety of controlled substances, including cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, and marijuana. The arrests were the outcome of a collaborative investigation involving the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, the Lodi Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, and the Paterson Police Department. Feliciano and Gonzalez were booked into the Bergen County Jail, while DeJesus was taken to the Passaic County Jail, all awaiting their initial court appearances.
