In the early evening of January 23, 2017, a fatal shooting shattered the routine at the First Avenue Gas station in Paterson, New Jersey. The victim was 57-year-old Ruskin Magamedov, a resident of the neighboring town of Fair Lawn, who was working as an attendant. The incident, which was also a robbery, occurred around 6 p.m. at the gas station located at 1st Avenue and McLean Boulevard. Magamedov was shot during the commission of the crime and was subsequently rushed to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a man fleeing the area with a rifle and a gasoline canister.
The investigation into the homicide was a joint effort between the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. Their investigation quickly led to the identification of suspects. Within days, on January 26, 2017, authorities arrested two men in connection with the murder and robbery.
Dennis Barrett, 21, of Paterson, and Jorge Martinez, 21, of Garfield, were taken into custody. Both men were charged with a string of serious offenses, including first-degree felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and weapons possession charges.
The investigation continued as authorities sought a third individual believed to be the primary perpetrator. This third suspect was identified as 28-year-old Alex Colon. Described as a Hispanic male, standing 5'4' and weighing 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, Colon was charged with murder, robbery, and weapons possession. A public appeal was made for information regarding his whereabouts, with a warning that he should not be approached. The manhunt for Colon concluded on February 17, 2017, when he was apprehended in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Paterson police had alerted authorities in the Pennsylvania town that Colon might be heading in that direction to evade capture. Following his arrest, Colon was held in Pennsylvania pending extradition to Paterson to face the charges against him.
