A 15-year-old youth was shot and killed this morning in Greenville.
According to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, at approximately 4:20 a.m. today, the police received a 911 call reporting a shooting at 124 Wilkinson Avenue. There responding officers found Tyshawn Smith, 15, of Jersey City with an apparent gunshot wound. Smith was pronounced dead at a short time later.
The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to determine the cause and manner of death.
This morning, the crime scene remained cordoned off with yellow police tape.
A police cruiser parked against the traffic remained posted in front. A detective standing with four patrol officers next to the crime scene declined to comment.
One neighbor reported hearing shots ring out at some time between 4 and 5 a.m. The street was closed off a short time later.
In recent years, the residents of Wilkinson Avenue have complained of lawlessness and gang activity. In October, a shootout took place at 133 Wilkinson Ave.
The extent of crime generally, and shootings in particular, in Jersey City is difficult to assess. Without explanation, the Fulop administration stopped publishing monthly CompStat crime data in June of 2019.
New York City and Newark residents have access to weekly crime data, including shootings, from weekly CompStat reports posted on their respective websites.
The circumstances regarding this incident are actively being investigated by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the Jersey City Police Department. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip. All information will be kept confidential.