By: Richard L. Smith
Authorities in Hudson County are investigating a fatal shooting that claimed the life of a North Bergen resident late Sunday night and led to a tense standoff in Passaic County.
According to Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello, North Bergen police responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 10:20 p.m. on June 21 in the area of Paterson Plank Road and 14th Street.
Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body.
The victim, identified as 61-year-old Manuel Colon of North Bergen, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials said the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the North Bergen Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the incident.
During the preliminary stages of the investigation, detectives identified 59-year-old Luciano Vargas as a person of interest in the shooting.
Authorities tracked Vargas to his residence in Wayne, where officers encountered a barricaded individual inside the home.
The Wayne Police Department responded to the scene, and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team was activated to assist with the situation.
Authorities later discovered Vargas deceased inside the residence from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators said the incident is being examined as a domestic dispute. The cause and manner of death for Colon remain pending determination by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.