On a Monday afternoon, the life of 20-year-old Niyam Deloatch, a male from Prospect Park, New Jersey, was tragically cut short. On November 4, 2019, at approximately 1:01 p.m., police responded to reports of gunfire at the intersection of North 1st Street and Haledon Avenue in Paterson. Arriving at the scene, officers discovered Deloatch suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to St.
Joseph's University Medical Center for emergency treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
The investigation into the homicide revealed a chilling sequence of events. Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, a vehicle carrying three men was being driven by 19-year-old Malachi Oji on Haledon Avenue. Upon spotting Deloatch, the three occupants exited the vehicle and began to approach him on foot. One of the men accompanying Oji was armed with a handgun, which he brandished as they neared Deloatch.
As the confrontation escalated, one of the three men decided against participating in the violence and walked away from the scene. Oji and the remaining armed man continued to advance on Niyam Deloatch. It was at this moment that the second suspect opened fire, fatally wounding Deloatch. Following the shooting, both Oji and the gunman fled the area in Oji's vehicle, leaving Deloatch behind.
Days later, the investigation led to a significant development. On the afternoon of November 8, 2019, Malachi Oji voluntarily surrendered to authorities at Paterson Police Headquarters, where he was arrested without incident. He was subsequently charged for his alleged role in the killing. The charges brought against him included first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. Prosecutors later filed a motion for his pretrial detention.
