Three Jersey City Police Who Ran To Deli Shooting Are Promoted

JERSEY CITY — Mayor Steven Fulop and Public Safety Director James Shea appointed three Jersey City Police Officers — two of whom were shot in the line of duty — to the rank of detective this past Wednesday, for their actions during the deadly shooting at a kosher deli on Dec. 10, 2019.

A police officer and four civilians were killed in the anti-Semitic attack. Investigators later determined two gunman in the tragedy could have killed people eight football fields away.

Police Officers Kendric Jackson, Mariela Fernandez, and Raymond Sanchez were appointed to detective during the ceremony at City Hall on Wednesday.

“I firmly believe the immediate actions of these three officers who ran towards the gunfire when the first shots rang out, forced the two armed criminals to alter their initial plans and played a key role in keeping this tragedy from being larger than the four innocent lives lost that day,” said Mayor Fulop.

At the time the gunfire began, the three officers were working on assigned posts nearby as part of deployments by the mayor and Director Shea to combat crime. The officers ran towards the gunshots and were first on scene when Officer Sanchez was shot in the shoulder and Officer Fernandez was struck in her hand. Both of their injuries were non-life threatening.

“We truly have the best police department in the state,” said Director Shea. “Between the bravery of our officers and the large-scale active shooter trainings we’ve recently had, our officers’ response stopped this situation from escalating dramatically.”

Prior to the confrontation on Martin Luther King Drive, the gunmen shot and killed JCPD Detective Joseph Seals. He was headed to meet an informant that day, and it's believed that he confronted them in their van.

“It’s imperative we recognize Detective Joseph Seals, whose diligence likely thwarted a larger plan for mass murder,” concluded Mayor Fulop.

It is believed that the two alleged killers had planned to inflict more damage.

“There’s no question that everyone on the police department who responded saved many innocent lives," Fulop said.

Once additional JCPD officers quickly arrived on the scene unfolding on MLK Drive, there were no further civilian injuries.

“Each and every officer available responded to the scene on December 10th without hesitation as two gunmen reigned terror in our community,” JCPD Chief Michael Kelly. “They risked their lives to protect the public."