Muslim Community Expresses Sorrow Over Jersey City Shooting

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — Muslim community groups in New Jersey are among those offering sympathies and condolences in the wake of a deadly mass shooting in Jersey City on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, four people – including Jersey City Detective Joseph Seals – were killed by a pair of heavily armed shooters. Three civilians also died in the attack: Leah Mindel Ferencz, 32, Moshe Hersh Deutsch, 24, and Douglas "Miguel" Rodriguez, 49.

Police fatally shot the two suspects, David Anderson, 47, and Francine Graham, 50.

Authorities initially said the attack didn’t appear to be an act of terrorism. However, on Thursday, representatives with the FBI, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the shooting is being investigated as a “domestic terrorism incident with a hate-crime bias slant.”

• See related article: 6 Killed In Jersey City Shooting Standoff
• See related article: Suspects, Victims ID'd After 6 Killed In Jersey City Shooting

One of the assailants had published anti-Semitic and anti-police posts online prior to the attack, an unnamed law enforcement source told The New York Times.

Jersey City Mayor Fulop has said that it's "clear" from video surveillance footage that the two shooters "targeted" the Kosher Jewish grocery store where the standoff took place.

As of Wednesday afternoon, state officials weren't ready to call the incident a hate crime, saying it was too early to speculate.

However, one thing is clear, according to Fulop: it’s unfair to jump to conclusions about the suspects’ religious backgrounds.

“People have speculated that the actors were of the Muslim faith, but at this point there is zero indication to that being accurate,” Fulop stated. “I can speak to the large Muslim community in Jersey City that is warm and inviting to everyone.”

“We are lucky to have that community in Jersey City and I don’t want anyone jumping to conclusions that aren’t accurate,” Fulop added.

The Jersey City-based Muslim Federation of New Jersey stated that its members mourn the loss of Seals and the other victims of the shooting.

“Today, we are reminded of the heroism of our officers and the sacrifice they make every day in keeping our neighborhoods safe,” the federation wrote online.

The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) extended an empathetic statement to the Jewish community in Jersey City.

“We stand in solidarity with our Jewish sisters and brothers and ask people of all faiths and backgrounds to repudiate the hatred that apparently motivated this heinous attack,” CAIR-NJ Executive Director Jim Sues said.

“As a diverse community, we must not allow hatred to be fueled against any person or group,” Sues continued. “We thank local law enforcement authorities for their swift response and offer our condolences to the family of the slain Jersey City police officer and to the loved ones of all those killed or injured.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Hoboken Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.