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Overall, the 40-year-old Rouse of Paterson has spent 15 years behind bars. Now he’s back in custody, charged with attempted murder and a bunch of weapons offenses, including being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Rouse's first state prison stint – for burglary and drug and weapons possession – lasted six years before he was paroled in June 2009.
Two months later, he pedaled a bicycle up to a 30-year-old city man at East 26th Street and Park Avenue and shot him in the head for being disrespectful to his girlfriend.
Rouse ended up serving eight years for that shooting before being paroled in August 2020. But he violated the terms of his release and was back behind bars for another four months before being released this past June, records show.
On Sept. 15, authorities said, Rouse and another shooter fired at a crowd at the corner of Broadway and East 18th Street. A 35-year-old Paterson man who'd been walking by at the time was wounded, they said.
The victim was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center and survived his injuries, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said in a joint announcement.
Rouse -- also known as "Poke" -- was identified as one of the shooters and a warrant was obtained for his arrest, they said.
Paterson police arrested Rouse at his home Tuesday morning. He remained held in the Passaic County Jail pending the outcome of the case.
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