At least one person has died and six others were injured during a shooting at a Chick-fil-A in New Jersey, and the suspect is still on the loose after a masked man was seen fleeing the scene.
Union County Police responded to reports of a shooting at the fast-food restaurant located on Route 22 at around 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, according to CBS New York.
Newsweek reported that one person died at the scene, while at least six people were shot. The total number of suspects and their identities have not yet been publicly shared, and police have also not announced the names of the victims.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation,” Lauren Farinas, a spokesperson for the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said, according to NJ.com. “More information will be released as it becomes available.”
ABC 7 reported that video captured the aftermath of the shooting, which showed people running away from the restaurant after shots were fired.
While no arrests have been made, police believe that the shooting was a targeted incident that stemmed from a drug or gang-related dispute.
After the shooting, Chick-fil-A employees were kept in the locked-down restaurant as police launched an investigation into the matter.
One man told ABC 7 that he drove to the restaurant after his son, who works at the restaurant, called him in a panic.
The father said that multiple masked suspects shot several employees, and he even described the restaurant as a “war zone.”
Meanwhile, a Lyft driver told the outlet that he was finishing a trip nearby when he heard more than seven shots.
“I finished my trip over there, in the return zone. I heard the shots. When I finished the trip, I go to Chick-fil-A to buy two burgers — I see the police, I heard the shots very close,” he said.
A man told CBS News New York that his girlfriend works at the Chick-fil-A and said a group of men entered the restaurant and went directly behind the counter before they fired multiple shots.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is currently leading the investigation into the shooting. The office did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding the incident.
Police have announced that there is a $10,000 reward being offered for tips that lead to an arrest amid the investigation.
Following the shooting, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that “New Jersey stands with the Union Township community” in light of the tragedy.
“We now know that last night’s shooting in Union Township tragically claimed one life and left six others injured. Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones, and we are hoping for the full recovery of those who were injured,” Sherrill said.
