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Raheem Thomas, a 36-year-old ex-con, was among a group of associates with Wap at the Montclair Deli on Montclair Avenue near Paxton Street when the incident began around 4 a.m. Sunday, city Police Director Jerry Speziale said.
The groups got into it a short time after Wap -- aka Jerry Maxwell -- arrived, Speziale said.
Thomas drew a gun and hit one of the other men with it, the director said.
The fight spilled into the street, where three victims were struck by gunfure, he said.
One of them, a 34-year-old man, was struck in the lower leg, the director said.
Police found a second victim three blocks away with a gunshot wound to the torso, he said.
Both victims were taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center.
"A short time later, Hackensack University Medical Center reported a gunshot victim arriving at the trauma center by private vehicle," Speziale said.
An investigation led detectives to Thomas, who was arrested early Monday near his North 3rd Street home, he said.
Speziale didn't confirm reports from unnamed sources in other media that Wap was robbed.
The director praised the work of Detective Michael Quinones and Passaic County Prosecutor’s Detective Ricardo Ferreira of the Ceasefire Unit in making such a quick arrest.
Also participating were Detectives Ricardo Ferreira, Christopher Ravallese and Joehan Suarez, along with Detective Sgt. Anthony Hyatt, along with members of the Paterson Police Emergency Response Team.
Maxwell wasn't in initially charged.
However, Speziale said an investigation was continuing.
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