Mayor Steve Fulop publicly reiterated last night that an uptick in shootings that are plaguing the city are not random and most of the victims are targeted.
JERSEY CITY -- Mayor Steve Fulop reiterated at a public meeting last night that a recent uptick in shootings in the city is not random and most of the victims are targeted.
During a West Side public safety meeting last night, Fulop said police have a "tremendous" amount of information about the individuals committing crimes, but the city faces challenges when it investigates.
In the first 15 days of June, at least 10 people were shot in 12 different incidents across the city. Police, however, struggle when no one comes forward to provide information and tips on crime, he added.
"The biggest challenges that we have, I'm sure you see it in The Jersey Journal, is that often (victims and witnesses) don't want to cooperate in the most violent shootings and the most violent incidents," Fulop told dozens of people inside the St. Aloysius gym last night. "That's a challenge for us."
He said roughly 25 to 30 people are "responsible for almost every single shooting in the city." Public Safety Director James Shea said in November 35 to 40 people were responsible for the city's gun violence.
"We know who they are, but ultimately we can't just go arrest them for the sake of arresting them. You need to have a very tight case otherwise they do get out of those cases," Fulop said
Fulop and Shea have made similar remarks in past public meetings in which they've described the obstacles police face investigating crimes.
Fulop said the city additionally faces challenges when victims show up at Jersey City Medical Center with gunshot wounds and refuse to provide any information about their injuries.
When asked by The Jersey Journal if saying these shootings are targeted is supposed to make residents feel more comfortable, Fulop said, "I don't know.
"I just let people know that some of this stuff is targeted," he said.
During the meeting, Fulop referenced a Jersey Journal story that he said inaccurately reported a June 7 daylight shooting in which a man -- believed to be an unintended target -- was grazed by a bullet. However, when The Jersey Journal asked Fulop about the shooting following the meeting, he replied that he doesn't "speak about specific incidents."