Authorities said the gunfire at the Route 22 restaurant does not appear to have been random, and no arrests had been announced Sunday.
UNION, N.J. — One person was killed and six others were injured after gunfire broke out at a Chick-fil-A in Union on Saturday night, sending police and emergency crews to the Route 22 restaurant as investigators worked Sunday to determine who opened fire and why.
The shooting happened at about 9 p.m. at the fast-food restaurant, according to authorities and local reports. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office said officers found seven victims when they arrived. One person later was pronounced dead, while the other six suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. Investigators said the shooting did not appear to be a random act and that there was no immediate ongoing threat to the public.
No arrests had been announced by Sunday afternoon. The prosecutor’s office said its Homicide Task Force was leading the investigation, with police still trying to establish a motive. Officials had not publicly identified the person who died or released details about the six survivors. They also had not said whether the victims were employees, customers or both.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene inside and around the restaurant. A Lyft driver identified as Martin told local television that he heard more than seven shots while finishing a trip nearby. “I heard the shots very close,” he said, describing the noise as he approached the business. ABC7 New York also reported that the father of one worker said his son called in a panic and told him several masked suspects had entered the restaurant. The father said he drove there and found what he called a “warzone.”
Some details from those witness accounts had not been officially confirmed by Union Township police as of Sunday. Still, the accounts added to the picture of a fast-moving burst of violence at a restaurant that would have otherwise been closed the next day. Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays, leaving the Union site dark as investigators continued processing the scene and gathering evidence.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Sunday that she had been briefed on the shooting. In a public statement, she said one life had been lost and six other people had been hurt. She offered condolences to the victim’s loved ones and said the state was hoping for the injured people’s full recovery. Her statement also echoed investigators’ early assessment that the attack did not appear to be random.
The shooting added another major violent crime scene to a busy commercial stretch in Union, a township west of New York City known for its retail corridors and heavy Route 22 traffic. By Sunday, the focus remained on basic unanswered questions: who fired the shots, whether more than one gunman was involved, how the confrontation began and why the victims were targeted.
For now, officials say the case remains active and unresolved. The next public update is expected to come from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office as detectives continue interviews, review evidence and look for suspects.
Author note: Last updated April 12, 2026.