Daily Voice has obtained the affidavit for probable cause in the Dec. 20 shooting death of Robert “Bobby” Rodgers at Lakeview and Merselis avenues, in which Angel Pacheco, 67, of Clifton, was charged with murder.
During the police investigation, Pacheco waived his Miranda rights and said he was returning from his girlfriend’s house in Paterson when a white van began driving erratically behind him, according to the affidavit for probable cause. He stopped at Lakeview and Merselis Avenues when Rodgers walked up to his truck and punched the driver’s side window three times. Pacheco rolled down his window to see if Rodgers wanted to have a conversation, at which point Rodgers struck him twice in the face with his left hand, Pacheco allegedly told investigators.
Pacheco maneuvered away from being struck and grabbed a firearm from his right hip, he told police. He then pulled on the slide to activate the firearm. That’s when Rodgers said, “You’re going to shoot me?” Pacheco told police, adding that he fired one round and struck Rodgers.