Man Charged After Bullet Misses Child in Home, Police Say

A Man Faces Multiple Firearms Charges After Shooting Into Neighbor's Home

A man from Passaic County, New Jersey, is now facing multiple firearms-related charges after allegedly firing a bullet through a wall and into a neighboring home. The incident occurred in Phillipsburg, where the bullet narrowly missed an adult and a child.

Rashad A. McCaskill, 40, of Paterson, has been charged with several offenses, including second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second-degree certain persons not to possess a weapon, fourth-degree hindering apprehension, fourth-degree possession of a large capacity magazine, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief. These charges were announced by the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday morning. No information about McCaskill’s attorney was immediately available.

The incident began just after 9:30 a.m. on Monday when Phillipsburg police officers responded to a call at a home on the 100 block of Fox Street. According to court records, a juvenile reported that McCaskill was known to his mother and had expressed intentions to harm himself. When officers arrived, they found McCaskill attempting to leave the residence.

Before the gunfire, McCaskill reportedly had an argument with a woman. As she left the bedroom, he fired a 9 mm Glock, according to the affidavit of probable cause. The bullet traveled through the exterior wall of the bedroom and into a bedroom in the neighboring home, where it became lodged in an interior wall. At the time, an adult and a child were in that bedroom, but no injuries were reported.

Investigators recovered the loaded handgun and a high-capacity magazine from an outside window ledge. McCaskill has a prior conviction for aggravated assault from July 2022 in Passaic County, which legally bars him from possessing a firearm. He was taken into custody and sent to the Warren County jail.

A Pattern of Violence in Phillipsburg

Monday’s shooting is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Phillipsburg. These events have prompted increased efforts from local law enforcement to address the growing concerns about safety in the community.

In early August, two 17-year-old boys were charged in connection with a shooting at a parked vehicle on the 100 block of Henderson Street. On August 3, 20-year-old Andrew Robert Weaver was charged after allegedly knocking on a homeowner’s door and then firing gunshots. One of the shots went through a window as the homeowner approached the door.

Matthew R. Dawe, 32, of the 100 block of Lewis Street, also faces similar charges after police say he fired gunshots at a neighbor’s home on July 30. Over the past few months, police have responded to at least five other incidents involving gun violence in the town.

On June 30, investigators found evidence of a shooting that occurred shortly before 2 a.m. at Mercer and River streets. Dorien E. Roberts, 18, of Port Murray, and Alfatir T. Kelly, 26, of Phillipsburg, were later charged in connection with the incident.

Another tragic event occurred on June 2, when a man was found fatally shot outside a Phillipsburg home along Summit Avenue. Kevin Clervil, 31, of East Orange, was shot several times and later died at a local hospital.

On May 15, police discovered evidence of two more incidents of gunfire in the 100 block of Broad Street and Memorial Parkway. These ongoing incidents highlight the need for continued vigilance and action from both law enforcement and the community.