In the early morning hours of a cold Saturday in January 2020, life tragically ended for 31-year-old Jacques Mills in Paterson, New Jersey. A native of the city, Mills was found shot on Godwin Avenue, in the vicinity of Summer Street, before the sun had risen on January 18th. When police arrived at the scene shortly before 5:30 a.m., he was pronounced dead, marking the first homicide of the year for the city.
The intersection where Mills lost his life was known to be one of the more perilous corners in Paterson. His death was not his first encounter with gun violence. Almost two years to the day before he was killed, Mills had survived a different shooting. That prior incident led to a charge of hindering apprehension against him after he sought treatment at a local medical center for a gunshot wound.
Despite the public nature of his death, information regarding the investigation has been sparse.
In the immediate aftermath, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and Paterson police detectives urged the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the individuals responsible for Mills' death. They provided contact information for their tips line and the Paterson Police Ceasefire Unit, hoping for a break in the case. However, in the years that have followed, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in connection with the fatal shooting. The case, it appears, remains unresolved, leaving a void in the lives of his family and friends.
