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Emmanuel Bernard, 18, fired a handgun at a Honda Accord as it drove past on Brinkerhoff Place near Van Winkle Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. June 18, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Chief Luis A. Guzman said in a joint announcement.
Three men then emerged from a Jeep Cherokee and fired at Bernard, they said, identifying the trio as Izaih Hernandez, 21, and Ernest Wilder, 20, of Passaic and Clifton resident Arfani Ferreira, 18.
With the trio were Passaic’s Nahzair Ellen and Rhyonne Jackson, both 21, who authorities characterized as co-conspirators.
No one apparently was wounded, they said.
Responding uniformed officers and detectives collected ballistics evidence, interviewed witnesses and sought area surveillance footage.
All of the men from the Jeep were arrested on Saturday, June 24, according to jail records. Hernandez, Wilder, Ferreira and Ellen were brought to the Bergen County Jail.
Ellen and Jackson are charged with conspiracy. The other four from the Jeep are charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief and weapons offenses.
Bernard was arrested on June 27, three days after the others, and brought to the Bergen County lockup in Hackensack, as well.
Valdes said Tuesday that her office will ask a judge to keep Bernard and all of the Jeep occupants except Jackson detained.
Jackson remained held Tuesday in the Passaic County Jail, apart from the others, records show.
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