Paterson, NJ: Man shoots family, kills one son

PATERSON, N.J., Nov. 29 (UPI) --
A New Jersey man shot his estranged wife and two sons, killing the younger son, before being gunned down by a police officer Saturday, police said.

Investigators said Edilmiro Gonzalez ambushed his wife as she was dropping the two boys off at her mother's house in Paterson just before 9 a.m., The Record of Hackensack reported.

Police responding to the shooting found Adrian Gonzalez, 7, dead, Edryn, 11, wounded in the neck, and their mother, Johanna, 31, shot in the shoulder. Johanna and Edryn Gonzalez were reported to be in critical but stable condition at St. Joseph's Hospital.

The gunfire erupted as dozens of witnesses watched, The Record said.

Witnesses said Paterson Police Lt. Washington Griffin confronted Gonzalez, identified himself as a police officer and told him to put his weapon down. Washington, who was off-duty, had been in a drive-through lane at a McDonald's with his son when he heard the shots, The Record reported.

Will Hayes, a witness, said Griffin identified himself as a police officer and told the gunman to put his weapon down.

"The guy didn't, and that's when he shot him," Hayes said.

Detective Lt. Ron Humphrey said Gonzalez was taken to St. Joseph's, where he died. Gonzalez was armed with two handguns, one of them .45 caliber, Humphrey said.