'Is y'all safe in this city?' Father of fatal shooting victim takes over Paterson forum

PATERSON — Michael Taylor, the grieving father of one of Paterson’s recent homicide victims, seized control of the mayor’s community meeting about a new city recreation center on Tuesday night, venting his anger and frustration.

Taylor’s 22-year-old daughter, Mary, was fatally shot in the head on Oct. 1 while standing with a group of people outside the Question Mark bar in the city’s Great Falls Historic District.

“This is bigger than Mary Taylor,” her father shouted to the group of more than 80 people at the community meeting, in a diatribe that lasted about 15 minutes. “Every day people is getting shot, and y’all being quiet.”

During the past week, Mayor Andre Sayegh repeatedly said, including in social media posts, that he has spoken frequently with Taylor and tried to offer comfort to a father he described as “inconsolable.”

But Taylor on Tuesday lashed out at the mayor.

“Get off me, man,” he barked as Sayegh approached him. “I don’t trust your [expletive].”

Sayegh: 'I let him grieve'

Paterson Press interviewed Sayegh on Tuesday night after the incident. Sayegh said he has set up a face-to-face meeting with Taylor for Wednesday afternoon at City Hall.

“He’s grieving, so I let him grieve,” the mayor said of the victim’s vocal attack.

Taylor also targeted the Attorney General’s Office and the Paterson Police Department, ridiculing new policies preventing city cops from chasing suspects in most cases, guidelines put in place a few days before his daughter was shot.

A Paterson cop had witnessed the fatal shooting and was pursing a suspect who was fleeing in a stolen car, but the officer was directed over the departmental radio to stop his pursuit, according to a police report.

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“The AG has given a green light for the youths to do crime,” Taylor shouted at the community meeting.

At one point, someone told Taylor police were being called to the meeting.

“Let them call the police,” he said. “If I get in a car, they won’t even chase me.”

As of Tuesday night, nine days after the killing, authorities had not yet announced any arrests in the case. Taylor was one of three people fatally shot in separate incidents in Paterson on Oct. 1. Another person was shot and killed on Oct. 3.

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'Is y’all safe in this city?'

Tuesday’s meeting at the Great Falls community center on Front Street started out quietly, as officials said they were seeking public input on what activities the proposed new $19 million recreation center should house.

Taylor, who was sitting in the middle of the front row, raised his hand and asked if officials were looking for suggestions. He called the proposed center “a great idea.”

Then he stood up and faced the audience, turning his back on the mayor and other people on the official panel.

“Is y’all safe in this city?” he yelled to the crowd.

“No,” responded a few dozen people in the audience, many of them wearing T-shirts with Mary Taylor’s picture on them, demanding justice for the deceased young woman.

“Is y’all safe in this city?” Taylor asked again, more loudly.

“No,” came the response, also louder.

“Do y’all want change in this city?” Taylor asked.

“Yes,” his supporters in the crowd shouted back.

City officials sat back and allowed Taylor to continue.

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“I don’t want to talk over anybody,” he said. "But right now, we need change. We need answers.”

When someone on the dais tried to get Taylor to end his attack, he responded, “I’m not stopping. No, no, no.”

A woman who identified herself as Mary Taylor’s mother joined the father in standing at the front of the room, shouting at officials, complaining that the mayor had not reached out to her. Afterward, the woman refused to provide this reporter her name. Taylor also would not speak to a reporter about Tuesday night’s tirade.

During Taylor’s takeover, city officials shut off the live video feed of the meeting on the city’s Facebook page.

When Taylor left the meeting, more than a dozen people followed him out of the room. People who had organized the meeting checked with the audience and decided to go ahead with the discussion of the recreation center.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Grieving father takes over Paterson NJ forum, decries shootings