A 20-year-old New Jersey man faces attempted murder charges in the shootings earlier this month of two people on a Passaic street, authorities said Tuesday.
Elijah Ortiz, of Passaic, is charged with shooting two men, ages 21 and 23, on the evening of March 12, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes.
Police were called about 10:35 p.m. and found two city residents with gunshot wounds near a home on Martha Place.
“Based on the investigation, Elijah Ortiz was identified as the shooter and a warrant was issued for his arrest,” Valdes and Passaic police Chief Luis A. Guzman said in a joint statement.
Ortiz turned himself in at the Passaic Police Department about 12 p.m. on Saturday.
He was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and second-degree weapons offenses, the prosecutor said. Ortiz was held Tuesday pending a pre-trial detention hearing.
Anyone with additional information about the shootings is asked to call investigators at 1-877-370-PCPO or email tips@passaiccountynj.org. Passaic police detectives can be reached at 973-365-3938.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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