In the early evening of December 3, 2020, a fatal encounter unfolded in a shopping center on the Black Horse Pike in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township, New Jersey, claiming the life of 36-year-old Mark A. Dodaro, Sr. The incident, which began as a dispute inside a local barbershop, tragically escalated to gunfire, leaving the community shaken. Dodaro, a male resident of Blackwood, was found suffering from a gunshot wound and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting quickly identified a suspect, 19-year-old Jose L. Rios Jr., also from Blackwood. According to authorities, the two men had entered the barbershop together. After a short period, Dodaro left while Rios was getting a haircut. Dodaro later returned, and an argument erupted between him and Rios. The nature of their disagreement remains unclear.
Surveillance footage from the barbershop captured the moments that followed, showing Rios retrieving a gun from his jacket.
As the argument intensified, Rios reportedly shot Dodaro in the leg. Dodaro then fled from the barbershop, but Rios pursued him and shot him a second time. Witnesses at the scene identified Rios as the shooter, corroborating the evidence gathered from the surveillance video. This information led to a swift response from law enforcement.
The day after the shooting, on December 4, 2020, Jose L. Rios Jr. was located in Washington Township and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Rios was then taken to the Camden County Correctional Facility to await a detention hearing.
