An unfortunate shooting incident occurred at a Ramada by Wyndham hotel in Fairfield, New Jersey, on Friday, October 4, resulting in one fatality and another person seriously injured. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office reported that law enforcement arrived at the hotel on Two Bridges Road shortly after 12:30 p.m. and found two men suffering from gunshot wounds.
The deceased was later identified as Mohammad Sahariar, 28, an employee of the Ramada hotel from Fairfield, and a native of Bangladesh. He was declared dead at the scene. The second victim, who also worked at the hotel and has remained unidentified, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
The incident occurred in the afternoon, leading to a significant police presence in and around the hotel, including the nearby Jose Tejas restaurant. Fairfield police issued a public notice about the increased activity in the area, ensuring residents that there was no ongoing threat or active shooter situation.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has been reticent about the specifics of the incident, offering little information regarding a potential motive or any connection between the victims and the alleged shooter.
On October 9, Tyrone Malcolm, 39, from Middletown, NY, was apprehended and charged with murder. He is currently awaiting extradition from New York. The arrest was announced by Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna.
Mohammad Sahariar’s brother, Tanjil Islam, shared his sadness on social media, writing, “I will forever miss you, my dear brother.” Islam also stated that the family was still in the dark about the details surrounding the shooting. “We don’t know who shot or how it went down,” he posted on Facebook.
Guests at the Ramada Hotel were taken aback as the violent incident unfolded. Melissa Lupinacci, a guest at the time, recalled hearing a disturbance around 12:30 p.m. “I heard some shouting,” she said. “I stayed to myself; I didn’t open the door.” When Lupinacci later tried to leave her room, she found the area had been cordoned off with crime scene tape.
Marie Barnhurst, another guest traveling with her family, arrived to find her hotel plans upended by the incident. Despite the unsettling situation, neither guest expressed immediate safety concerns, viewing it as an isolated event. “It gives you pause,” Barnhurst said, but mentioned that the hotel’s non-refundable reservation policy meant she would likely continue her stay.
