On a late Wednesday afternoon in Plainfield, New Jersey, the life of 29-year-old Johanna Cordova Salazar was tragically cut short. On February 3, 2021, at approximately 4:15 p.m., the sound of gunfire shattered the winter quiet in the vicinity of Lee Place and South Second Street. When Plainfield Police Division patrol units arrived at the scene, they discovered Ms. Cordova Salazar and a male victim, both suffering from gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical attention was rendered at the scene, but Johanna Cordova Salazar was pronounced dead. The male victim was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for emergency treatment of his injuries. In the initial stages of the investigation, law enforcement officials stated that they did not believe either Ms. Cordova Salazar or the other victim were the intended targets of the shooting.
This suggests a heartbreaking case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a sentiment that leaves a community searching for answers and grappling with a senseless loss.
The investigation into the double shooting was immediately taken over by the Union County Homicide Task Force, with assistance from the Plainfield Police Division, the Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit. Authorities appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the apprehension of those responsible for this violent act. Despite the active and ongoing investigation, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made or the identification of any suspects in the death of Johanna Cordova Salazar. The case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for her family and the Plainfield community.
