On another site, which I'd like to add has been right on all three episodes so far, it says that due to a beef with Phil and the New York crew, Paulie becomes a target. They decide to hit someone close to him so they target Little Paulie. When they gun for him Paulie's mom/aunt is accidentally gunned down because she's out shopping or something with Little Paulie. This is what supposedly sets off the major war in the last few episodes. New York decides to purge the Jersey family and absorb it's survivors. Paulie is one of several casualties that doesn't survive the series.