Camden County Officials Show Support For Fallen Jersey City Cop

Camden County officials are standing by the family of fallen Jersey City police officer Joe Seals in the aftermath of the shooting that left Seals, three civilians and two shooters dead earlier this week.

“The Freeholder Board expresses its sincerest condolences to the families impacted by the horrific hate-fueled attack this week in Jersey City, and of course to the family of the officer who sacrificed his life in the line of duty and other officers injured in the incident,” Camden County Freeholders Jeff Nash and Melinda Kane said in a statement on Thursday. “We are deeply saddened by the recent news that this appears to have been yet another targeted attack on the Jewish community motivated by bigotry and prejudice.”

Seals was a married father of five. He was killed in connection with an hours-long shootout Tuesday that began in front of a Jewish grocery store that authorities on Thursday deemed had a "hate-crime bias" and was an act of domestic terrorism. Read more here: FBI: Jersey City Attack Had 'Hate Crime Bias;' Video Released

On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy said "an attack on our Jewish community or, for that matter, any community in what may be the most diverse state in the United States is an attack against all 9 million of us who call ourselves New Jerseyans."

“There is no simple solution to the endemic plagues that are racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of hatred,” the freeholders said. “We must continue to make ourselves heard and to stand together in the face of such evil. Our communities are stronger because of their diversity. Our society is stronger when it includes those who look, think, and believe differently than ourselves. Hate has no home in Camden County, or Jersey City, and we hope to do whatever we can for those affected by this heartbreaking event.”

The county officials joined a chorus of voices in law enforcement who have voiced support in the days following the tragic shooting.

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