The man’s roommate — a Rutgers-Newark alumnus — was critically wounded. Jen Maxfield reports.
A Rutgers University student was killed in a double shooting inside an apartment near the college's Newark campus, authorities said.
Student Shani Patel, 21, and a 23-year-old Rutgers graduate were both shot in their apartment on Central Avenue in Newark at about 10 p.m. Sunday, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.
Patel, of Toms River, was pronounced dead at the scene. His roommate was taken to University Hospital in critical condition and was undergoing surgery Monday.
The university says the shooting isn't a random act and there are no threats to the school community. Law enforcement sources tell NBC 4 New York that drugs and cash were found in the apartment.
Police in Newark said they discovered a gun on Bleeker Street, around the corner from the murder scene, and have collected it for evidence. They're looking for two people in their early 20s who were seen running from the scene. No arrests have been made in the case.
Patel and his roommate lived above a sushi shop near Halsey Street, on a thriving block popular with Rutgers students for its small shops and restaurants.
The Rutgers chancellor emailed the university community about the murder, writing, "While we understand that it was not a random act that led to Shani's death, it is a shock to lose a member of our community under any circumstances."
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Friends of the victim said he worked hard to earn money for his family.
"He wanted to support his mom. He talked about his mom constantly, how he wanted to support her," said Saad Farooq, a friend and classmate at Rutgers.
Anyone with information should call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office at 1-877-847-7432.
