William Edward Nagle Jr. was 27 when he was killed on August 26, 1977, during a mass shooting in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The attack began near the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad tracks on Grant Avenue, where the shooter fired from a .44-caliber rifle and continued through Hackettstown into neighboring Mansfield Township. Calls to police came in around 5:36 PM, and officers found multiple victims on arrival.

The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Emile Benoist, died by suicide after being cornered by law enforcement in a nearby cornfield. Investigators concluded Benoist acted alone; no other suspects were identified or arrested in connection with the deaths of Nagle and the five other victims. The killings profoundly affected the small community.

If anyone remembers William Nagle or has information about his life or that day, please come forward.