A mass shooting at a Chick-fil-A in Union Township, New Jersey, left one person dead and at least six others shot Saturday night, according to authorities. The shooting reportedly happened along Route 22 around 8:40 p.m. inside or near the restaurant.
Other victims were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, but their conditions were not immediately known. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation, and authorities have not released details about a suspect or said what may have prompted the gunfire.
Multiple shots were fired at a location described as crowded at the time, adding to the panic around the scene. Video from the area showed numerous police cars lined up in front of the Chick-fil-A with their lights on, while another post described a large response from police, EMS and paramedics.
Social media posts captured the confusion as word spread. One user wrote, “does anyone know what happened?? Prayers for everyone involved I saw those poor workers running down route 22 in fear,” while another said, “We just passed it…Praying for that victims and loved ones.” A page on X also reshared video from the scene and said, “Heavy police, fire, and EMS response on scene. Details on victims and suspect still emerging—stay safe and avoid the area.”
The shooting has already turned a busy stop on a major New Jersey highway into the center of a homicide investigation, and the unanswered questions are basic ones: who opened fire, why, and whether the injured are expected to survive. For now, officials have only confirmed that one person died at the scene and that the rest were rushed to hospitals as investigators took over.
