Community, government officials remember 5th anniversary of Jersey City mass shooting
It was Dec. 10, 2019, when an antisemitic attack took place in the Greenville area of Jersey City. Several people were killed – including a police officer.
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The community is remembering the tragic mass shooting that took place in Jersey City five years ago.
It was Dec. 10, 2019, when an antisemitic attack took place in the Greenville area of the city. A police stand-off ended at a kosher store. The attack left several people dead, including a police officer.
Officials say two gunmen shot and killed Detective Joseph Seals at the Bayview Cemetery. The attackers then made their way a mile away to a kosher market on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Inside the store, they killed three people, including an employee. Two other police officers were injured in the attack.
A police standoff lasted for an hour. Officers shot and killed the attackers at the scene.
A neighbor remembers the day well. They said they first heard gunshots down the block.
“All of a sudden you see police," said one neighbor. "They said they had people inside the store shooting. Everything was shut down from down there to down there."
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During the standoff, police blocked off the area and the school across the street was put under lockdown.
“Devastating, scary, something you don’t want to see again,” said the neighbor.
Investigators said the shooters had a bomb in their van. It could have killed people up to 500 yards away.
Government officials are also remembering the day.
"On the five-year anniversary of the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack in Jersey City, we remember every victim and honor the bravery of law enforcement. The images and stories from that day will always remain seared in my mind,” Gov. Phil Murphy wrote on social media. “Today and every day, we stand with our Jewish community and reaffirm our fight against hate and intolerance in New Jersey."
Attorney General Matt Platkin also posted about the event’s anniversary.
"Five years ago, terror shattered Jersey City. Heavily armed attackers targeted the JC Kosher Market in an act of hate against the Jewish community,” Platkin wrote. “This horrific act remains a stark reminder that antisemitism and all forms of hate are real—and must be confronted"
There’s a permanent memorial for Detective Seals in Bayonne that sits at the 16th Street Park. It honors his legacy and work.
