Suspect Arrested in Fatal Shooting at Union Chick-fil-A

UNION, NJ — A suspect has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting at a Chick-fil-A in Union earlier this month, authorities said.Jaheed Fields, 20, of Newark, was taken into custody Friday in Newark, according to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.Fields has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Malek Shepherd, 23, of New York City. He also faces six counts of attempted murder, along with charges of unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.Authorities said Shepherd was killed in the April 11 shooting, which also left six other individuals injured. Those victims were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.Union Mayor Patricia Guerra-Frazier responded to the arrest by saying, “I want to commend the outstanding work of the Union Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor's Office for their swift, coordinated efforts in apprehending the individual responsible for this senseless act of violence. Their professionalism, dedication, and commitment to public safety were instrumental in bringing this situation to a resolution.”The mayor went on to say the incident was an isolated event and “is not reflective of who we are as a community. The Township of Union remains a safe, strong and close-knit community where neighbors look out for one another.”“While this incident has understandably shaken many, the actions of our law enforcement partners demonstrate the strength of our public safety network and our unwavering commitment to protecting our residents."The investigation remains ongoing.