It was a violent Labor Day weekend in Paterson, New Jersey, when the life of 48-year-old Daryl Tann was tragically cut short. On the night of Sunday, September 2, 2018, Tann was one of four people sitting inside a BMW on 12th Avenue when gunfire erupted. The car came to a stop at East 18th Street and Broadway, the scene of a brutal act of violence. Tann sustained serious injuries in the shooting and was rushed to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, he ultimately succumbed to his wounds.
The shooting that claimed Tann's life also resulted in the death of 33-year-old Nykeema Kersey, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other individuals in the vehicle were also struck by the gunfire; a 30-year-old man sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while a 32-year-old woman was left in critical condition. The incident was part of a particularly violent holiday weekend in Paterson, with a total of ten people being shot in separate incidents.
In the wake of the deadly shooting, authorities launched an investigation that pointed to a domestic dispute as the motive. The investigation identified Jonathan Hernandez, a 31-year-old man, as the alleged perpetrator. It was revealed that Hernandez had been in an ongoing dispute with his former girlfriend, who was one of the victims critically injured in the car. Earlier in the day, Hernandez had reportedly damaged his ex-girlfriend's vehicle with a baseball bat and had a physical altercation with her and three others outside a local lodge. Roughly an hour later, Hernandez allegedly approached the parked BMW on 12th Avenue and opened fire on its occupants.
Following the investigation, Jonathan Hernandez was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Daryl Tann and Nykeema Kersey. He also faced two counts of first-degree attempted murder and several weapons-related charges. Authorities considered him armed and dangerous and sought information from the public regarding his whereabouts.
