Multiple people were shot Saturday night inside a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Union, New Jersey, in what authorities are treating as a mass shooting. The incident has left the community shaken and law enforcement working through the night to piece together what happened inside one of the country’s most recognizable fast food chains.
Officers responded to a reported shooting just after 8:45 p.m. on Route 22 near Gelb Avenue. At least six people were shot, according to RLS Media. One death has been reported by multiple media sources.
One man, who rushed to the scene after his son called him from the location, claimed that multiple masked suspects shot several employees, and he described the restaurant as a “war zone.”
Witness accounts paint a disturbing picture of how the attack unfolded. A man who said his girlfriend works at the restaurant told reporters that she said a group of men entered the store, went behind the counter, and fired multiple shots.
Authorities remained at the scene late Saturday, with officers and employees seen inside the restaurant while additional officers canvassed the parking lot. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed an active investigation was underway, but offered few additional details in the early hours following the shooting.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said she had been briefed on the shooting and that her office remained in close contact with officials on the ground. She offered her thoughts to those injured and their families and expressed gratitude to first responders.
Chick-fil-A’s corporate office did not respond to requests for comment. The investigation remains ongoing, and no arrests have been publicly announced at the time of this report.
