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The city Police Intelligence Unit and Detective Bureau, in tandem with the Patrol Division and Special Investigations Division united, "fielded leads directly from the community" that led directly to Philip Sparrow, Passaic Mayor Hector Carlos Lora said.
City police arrested Sparrow – and recovered the suspected murder weapon – during an 8 p.m. traffic stop Tuesday on Paulison Avenue, authorities said.
They stopped the vehicle on Paulison Avenue, roughly a mile down Route 21 from where Amar Sultan, 18, was shot and killed six hours earlier.
Sultan, who was struck in the abdomen, died at St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic at 4:45 p.m., Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Chief Luis A. Guzman said in a joint release.
Lora praised members of the public who he said "worked with our Police Department to expedite this arrest and the recovery of a weapon. Justice is served quicker and our streets become safer [when that happens].
"I commend our remarkable and professional police on their immediate response to bring this individual to justice," the mayor told Daily Voice immediately following Sparrow’s arrest. "It brings relief to our community after this horrific and tragic incident.
"Our prayers go out to the family of the victim.”
Sparrow remained held in the Passaic County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson.
He’s charged with murder and weapons offenses.
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