Wayne man accidentally shot himself after botched robbery in Paterson, police say

PATERSON — A 22-year-old Wayne man who went to the hospital with a bullet wound early Wednesday morning ended up being arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a Paterson gas station, police said.

Nicholas Perota had gone to St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center after he suffered what investigators believe was an accidentally self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home, police said.

But before he left the hospital, Paterson police said, they arrested him on robbery and gun possession charges involving a somewhat botched stickup at a gas station on Main Street, near Madison Avenue, at 11:34 p.m. on Tuesday.

Perota and another man allegedly pulled into the gas station, and one of them demanded cash from the attendant as they were getting gas, police said. The employee fought back against the robbers, who ended up fleeing the scene with stolen gas but no money, police said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne man accidentally shot himself after botched robbery in Paterson, police say