Paterson is mourning the loss of another child caught in the crossfire of random gun violence — this time, an 18-year-old college-bound high school who was struck by a stray bullet on Wednesday night while helping his grandmother with the groceries.
Robert Cuadra was unloading groceries from his mother’s car on Godwin Avenue around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday when two men started shooting at each other, police said. Cuadra was struck once in the head and collapsed on the pavement and was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson where he was pronounced dead.
Cuadra was a student at HARP Academy, a magnet school that specializes in medical science. He was an honors student who took classes at Rutgers University and planned to attend college in the fall, district officials said.
“The hearts of everyone in the Paterson Public Schools community are broken by the violent loss of this promising young man,” Superintendent of Schools Eileen F. Shafer said in a statement. “Robert Cuadra was a dedicated honors student who looked forward to starting the next chapter of his life in college this fall. Robert cared for his family, and the reports that he was fatally shot while delivering groceries to his grandmother’s home speak to his character and add to the bitterness of his being taken away from us.”
“We all mourn the loss of this incredible young man with a tremendously bright future. Everyone loved Robert. There are no words,” said Kelli A. White the principal of HARP Academy.
Now, instead of planning for college, Cuadra’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to pay for his funeral. As of Friday morning, the campaign had received over $11,000 in pledges.
Paterson, which set a record for shooting fatalities in 2021, is often to another dangerous start in the new year. On Thursday night, a 23-year-old woman was shot and wounded on Carrol Street.
“It’s tragic what’s happening in our city right now,” said Corey Teague, a Paterson Board of Education member. “The administration has to address it, and the people in the community, on the street, need to address it as well.”
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh met with Cuadra’s family and said he’s adding more police to the 4th Ward neighborhood where Cuadra was killed.
“It is a true tragedy,” Sayegh said, adding, “our focus is to bring the murderer to justice.”
Paterson officials have been wrestling with what to do about the spike in gang-related street violence, which has turned the city’s 1st and 4th wards into a battle zone. Sayegh said more cops will be deployed to the Godwin Avenue neighborhood where Cuadra died.
Community leaders are calling on the mayor and police director to do more. “We need a progressive plan here,” said Emanuel Capers, a school board member. “People are shooting like it’s the wild, wild west.”
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