Police found seven victims at the Chick-fil-A on Route 22 after gunfire erupted around 9 p.m. Saturday, officials said.
UNION, N.J. — Investigators in Union County were searching Sunday for answers after a shooting inside a Chick-fil-A left one person dead and six others wounded, turning a busy New Jersey restaurant into a crime scene and rattling workers, families and nearby drivers.
Authorities said the shooting happened around 9 p.m. Saturday at the Chick-fil-A on Route 22 in Union. Responding officers found seven victims, according to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. One victim was later pronounced dead. The other six were treated for injuries that officials said were not life-threatening. No arrests had been made by Sunday, but investigators said there was no immediate threat to the general public.
That early statement shaped much of the response on Sunday. Prosecutors said the shooting did not appear to be random, suggesting investigators believe the violence may have involved a specific dispute or target rather than a chance attack. Still, officials did not release a suspected motive, the identities of any victims or suspects, or a clear account of what led up to the gunfire.
Relatives and bystanders filled in some of the fear and confusion left by those unanswered questions. A father interviewed by ABC7 said his son, who worked at the restaurant, called him in a panic during the shooting. The father said his son told him multiple masked people came into the business and that several co-workers were shot. When he arrived, the man said, the scene looked like a “warzone.” Authorities had not publicly confirmed that account by Sunday evening.
Another witness, a rideshare driver identified as Martin, said he was nearby finishing a trip when he heard a burst of shots. He told local television he counted more than seven. His account matched the sense of sudden violence described by workers’ relatives and helped explain the large emergency response that followed outside the restaurant.
The prosecutor’s office said its Homicide Task Force was handling the case. That means investigators are likely working through the steps typical in a fatal shooting investigation: securing the restaurant, collecting shell casings and surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses and mapping where the victims were found. None of those details had been publicly outlined in depth Sunday, and officials had not announced any charges.
The attack drew a response from Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who said the shooting “tragically claimed one life and left six others injured.” She said the state stood with the Union community and expressed hope that the injured victims would recover. Her statement reflected the dual reality facing officials Sunday: a community grieving a death while also waiting for law enforcement to explain what happened.
As of Sunday, the case remained in its early stage. Investigators were still trying to identify the shooter or shooters, establish a motive and determine how the violence unfolded inside the restaurant. The next major development will likely be any arrest announcement or a more detailed briefing from prosecutors.
Author note: Last updated April 12, 2026.