2 Men Arrested, Charged For Shooting Of Historic Ridgewood Church
RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Two men are in police custody after a historic Ridgewood, New Jersey, church was left riddled with bullets.
As CBS2's Scott Rapoport reported, police arrested two men, 21-year-old Joseph Galli, of Sommerville, and 22-year-old Alexander Norrell, of Ridgewood. Both face assorted criminal mischief and possession of firearms charges.
The two were charged in connection with a series of shots—41 of them—that were fired into a window and brick wall at the historic Old Paramus Reformed Church from a high-powered rifle in the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 2014. and back on Nov. 16, 2014.
CBS2 was told the church was empty at the time of the shooting.
"I believe there was one round that police were able to show went through the front of the church and out the other side," Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli told reporters.
On his Facebook page, Galli describes himself as a corporal in the Marines. On Norrell's Facebook page, he says he is a former corporal.
Just days after the shooting, Norrell posted CBSNewYork.com's story about the incident on his Facebook page; a few hours later, Galli "liked" it on Norrell's Facebook page.
"They are related, cousins I believe," Ward said.
The church has a rich history. According to its website, it was built in 1800 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The question many want answered is why would anyone shoot up the church. Police say there was no evidence this was a bias crime and that the building was not targeted because it was a church.
The arrests come as a relief to the church's pastor.
"While people were scared, we were confident the police were going bring this to justice," Pastor Rob Miller said.
Norrell is being held in the Bergen County Jail on $105,000 bail. Galli is in custody in North Carolina awaiting extradition back to Bergen County.
Police say there are no other suspects in the case.
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