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Paterson's own Fetty Wap performs at Summer Jam 2015 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on June 7, 2015 (William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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PATERSON - A city man was arrested Monday after three people were shot during a dispute involving rapper Fetty Wap, authorities said Monday.
Raheem Thomas (Passaic County Sheriff's Office)
Raheem Thomas, described as a hip hop artist, was arrested without incident near his North 3rd Street home during the early morning hours by several detectives and officers with the Paterson Police Emergency Response Team.
Police responded to reports of shots fired about 5 a.m. Sunday outside an all-night deli in the area of Montclair Avenue and Paxton Street, according to city police Director Jerry Speziale.
On arrival, officers found a 34-year-old man with a gunshot wound to a lower leg. A second man was found three blocks away with a gunshot to the torso. Both victims were taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center.
A short time later, Hackensack University Medical Center reported a gunshot victim arrived by private vehicle to the hospital trauma center, Speziale said.
"(The shooting) appears to have started inside the deli when a group that included Willie Maxwell (Fetty Wap) became involved in a heated altercation with another group that entered the deli a short time after Maxwell's arrival," Speziale said in a statement.
A fight broke out inside the deli with one male victim struck with a firearm, Speziale said.
Both groups spilled onto the street, where the shots were fired and three men were struck, the police director said.
"As a result of an investigation conducted by Detective Michael Quinones and Passaic County Prosecutor's Detective Ricardo Ferreira of the Ceasefire Unit, Raheem Thomas was identified as (the shooter)," Speziale said.
Police did not say which group Thomas was with, what the dispute was about or whether anyone else would be charged.
According to TMZ, Raheem Thomas is a rival hop hop artist who has a deep-rooted beef with Fetty Wap over music.
"The investigation is continuing, and no additional information will be released at this time," Speziale said.
Thomas is charged with aggravated assault, and three weapons possession offenses, police said.
According to court records, Thomas spent 2 and 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty in 2001 to drug charges. In 2006, he was arrested and charged with unlawful transport of a firearm. In a plea deal, he served 3 years and four months and was released in May 2012, court records show.
Fetty Wap, who is from Paterson, has had several brushes with the law over the years, including one with a cashier in a Paramus supermarket that made national headlines.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.