At approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, police officers responding to reports of gunfire at a Chick-fil-A restaurant on Route 22 in Union Township, New Jersey, arrived to find seven victims. One victim was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene. The six remaining victims sustained injuries described by authorities as non-life-threatening.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office, in a statement released Sunday, confirmed the incident and said the preliminary investigation reveals the shooting does not appear to be a random act of violence, and that there is no immediate ongoing threat to the general public. No arrests had been made as of Sunday afternoon, and the investigation remained active and ongoing.
What investigators have determined about the Union Township Chick-fil-A shooting on Route 22 in New Jersey
The shooting is believed to be a targeted incident stemming from a drug or gang dispute. The one fatality is believed to be the target of the shooting, and the other victims are believed to be bystanders and workers employed at the Chick-fil-A restaurant.
Officers responded to the reported shooting just after 8:45 p.m. on Route 22 near Gelb Avenue. Witness accounts indicated that a group of men entered the restaurant, moved behind the counter, and allegedly fired multiple shots. New witness video obtained by CBS News New York showed a person in a mask sprinting away from the scene with a handgun. Several other individuals were then seen leaving the parking lot in the footage.
In audio obtained by CBS News New York, a 911 dispatcher described the situation as involving one victim shot in the face and at least two others shot in the leg, with one unconscious witness also present at the scene.
What witnesses saw during the shooting at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Union, New Jersey
A father of one of the Chick-fil-A employees working on Saturday night told ABC News that his son contacted him in a panic, saying that multiple suspects wearing masks entered the establishment and that several of his co-workers were injured in the shooting.
A Lyft driver near the scene told ABC News that he heard shots very close after completing a trip in the area, and observed a heavy police presence when he arrived at the restaurant shortly after the shooting occurred.
How New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Union Township Mayor Patricia Guerra-Frazier responded to the shooting
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill issued two statements addressing the incident. In a Sunday morning statement, Governor Sherrill said she had been briefed on the shooting and that local law enforcement was continuing their investigation, adding that her thoughts were with those injured and their families. In a subsequent statement on Sunday afternoon, Governor Sherrill confirmed that the shooting had claimed one life and left six others injured, expressed condolences to the victim’s loved ones, and called on the community to remain vigilant and report information to local law enforcement.
Union Township Mayor Patricia Guerra-Frazier released a statement describing the incident as a tragedy that left the community heartbroken and shaken, stating that the violence was a painful reminder of the work that remains to ensure the safety of the community, and affirming that violence has no place in Union Township.
How the Union County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the fatal Chick-fil-A shooting in Union Township
The Union Township Police Department is conducting the investigation in coordination with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office referred all press inquiries to its own office and confirmed it would release additional information as the investigation progressed.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office encouraged members of the public with information about the shooting to contact Homicide Task Force Detective Edward Mack, Sergeant Jennifer Smith, or Union Police Department Detective Teon Freeman directly. Tips may also be submitted anonymously via phone or online through Union County Crime Stoppers, with a reward of up to $10,000 available for information resulting in an indictment and conviction.
Where Union Township sits in Union County, New Jersey, and why the Route 22 location matters
Union Township is a municipality in Union County, New Jersey, located southwest of Newark. The Chick-fil-A location on Route 22 sits along one of the most heavily trafficked commercial corridors in Union County, a multi-lane state highway running through densely populated residential and retail areas of northeastern New Jersey. Route 22 hosts a high concentration of fast-food chains, retail outlets, and service businesses, making the Saturday evening timeframe one of peak public activity in the area.
The shooting occurred on a Saturday night, when the restaurant would typically be serving customers at or near peak evening capacity. All Chick-fil-A locations in the United States are closed on Sundays, meaning the restaurant on Route 22 in Union Township was not operational the following day as the investigation continued.
What the Union Township shooting reveals about gun violence and public safety policy in New Jersey
Gun violence in public commercial spaces, particularly in restaurant environments, has been a recurring subject of policy debate at both the state and federal level in the United States. New Jersey maintains some of the most restrictive firearms legislation in the country, including a permit-to-purchase requirement for handguns and a ban on high-capacity magazines. Despite the regulatory framework, incidents of targeted gun violence linked to gang or drug-related disputes continue to occur across the state, including in suburban counties such as Union County, which borders Essex County and is part of the greater Newark metropolitan area.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is the lead agency responsible for criminal prosecution in Union County, New Jersey. The office routinely coordinates with municipal police departments across the county on homicide investigations. The involvement of the Homicide Task Force in this investigation signals the seriousness with which the office is treating the single fatality.
As of Sunday, April 13, 2026, no suspects had been identified publicly, no arrests had been announced, and the motive had not been formally confirmed by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
What this shooting means for Union Township, Union County, and public safety in New Jersey
- One person was fatally shot and six others sustained non-life-threatening injuries at the Chick-fil-A on Route 22 in Union Township, New Jersey, on the night of Saturday, April 11, 2026.
- Authorities believe the shooting was a targeted incident linked to a drug or gang dispute, with the deceased believed to be the intended target and the remaining victims believed to be bystanders or restaurant employees.
- The Union County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed no arrests have been made and that the preliminary investigation indicates no immediate ongoing threat to the general public.
- Union County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an indictment and conviction, with anonymous tips accepted via phone and online.
- New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Union Township Mayor Patricia Guerra-Frazier have both issued statements acknowledging the incident and calling on the community to cooperate with law enforcement.
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