After second shooting incident, councilman says police will increase presence in the Jersey City Heights

The Jersey City Police Department will increase its presence in the Heights neighborhood after two shooting incidents just blocks apart in less than three days.

“We are going to be pouring in more plainclothes officers into the area to make sure this stuff doesn’t happen,” said Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh after a shots-fired incident early Tuesday morning. “We increased the uniformed officers and street crime unit is on the case.”

At least one shell casing was recovered in the 12:30 a.m. incident that occurred on Central Avenue near Grace Street, one block east and north of the fatal shooting of Rafael Gomez Sunday night. The 25-year-old was gunned down in the area of Poplar Street and Summit Avenue at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

“Strategically deploying our police officers and resources is a tactic that has proven effective in the historic crime reductions we have achieved in recent years, and, as such, there will be an increased police presence in the area to ensure residents’ safety and sense of security, especially during (Tuesday night’s) planned vigil,” Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said.

A witness who was driving on Central Avenue early Tuesday told police saw five people fighting in the street, heard one shot fired and then saw one person on the ground, according to the radio transmissions. Jersey City officials confirmed the incident, but did not say whether it was related to Gomez’s death.

Police responding to the shooting Tuesday morning did not locate a victim and it appears that no arrests were made. An immediate check of local hospitals was conducted, and no one had been admitted with a gunshot wound, Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said.

Saleh said Sunday’s homicide was gang-related, but that gang was not from Jersey City.

“The actors are known and the police are going after the leads they have, with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office,” Saleh said. “They are going to make arrests as soon as possible.”

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