Kosher grocery store targeted in New Jersey shooting that killed 6
A pair of armed people targeted a New Jersey kosher grocery in an attack that killed six people including the shooters, though the motive of the attack remains unclear, public safety officials said on Wednesday.
A police shootout with two people armed with high-powered rifles erupted after midday on Tuesday in Jersey City, New Jersey’s second-largest municipality, directly across the Hudson River from Manhattan. The six dead included three civilians, one police officer and both shooters, authorities said.
The four-hour gun battle at the Jewish JC Kosher Supermarket erupted after the pair fatally shot the police officer at a nearby cemetery, from which they fled in a white van. The officer was identified as Joseph Seals, 40.
«They exited the van and they proceeded to attack this location in a targeted manner,» Jersey City Public Safety Director James Shea told a morning news conference. «That was their target and they intended to harm people inside it … With the amount of ammunition they had, we have to assume they would have continued attacking human beings if we hadn’t been there.»
He did not comment on why the grocery was targeted but said the shooters appeared to choose it rather than other people or locations on the street. Police declined to release the names or genders of the shooters.
Concern about Jewish neighbourhoods
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop ordered police to be on high alert to protect Jewish neighbourhoods following the attack.
«Due to an excess of caution, the community may see additional police resources in the days/weeks ahead,» Fulop wrote. «We have no indication there are any further threat(s).»
Fulop had earlier tweeted that «after extensive review of our CCTV system it has now become clear from the cameras that these two individuals targeted the Kosher grocery location.»
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that while there was no known specific threat to that city, he had put New York police on high alert to protect Jewish residents.
«Tonight NYPD assets are being deployed to protect key locations in the Jewish community. Tomorrow we will announce additional measures,» he said late Tuesday.
A video shot by a witness shows a police officer on the ground by a car, apparently wounded. Another officer goes to him, helps him up and the two run around a corner as gunshots ring out. Seconds later, as a police cruiser pulls up in front of the store, about a dozen shots are heard in rapid succession.
«Our officers were under fire for hours,» said police chief Michael Kelly.
Inside the grocery store, police found the bodies of who they believed were the two gunmen and three other people who apparently happened to be there when the assailants rushed in, authorities said. Police said they were confident the bystanders were shot by the gunmen and not by police.
Two other officers were wounded but were later released from the hospital, authorities said.
