TEL AVIV – New Jersey officials have released videos with messages of support for the Jewish community days after a deadly shooting at a kosher supermarket claimed the lives of four people.
In a video message released by the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, Attorney-General Gurbir Grewal pledged to keep Jersey City’s faith communities safe.
“I’m here with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce to deliver a simple message: that we are here for all of our communities in New Jersey, our faith communities, with the Orthodox Jewish community at this difficult time,” Grewal said in the video.
“The key is to communicate with us, to let us know what’s going on in our communities, so we can help keep all our communities safe in this difficult time,” Grewal added.
On Thursday, Grewal said the attack was motivated by hatred of Jews and law enforcement. He added that it was being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism.
“The evidence points toward acts of hate. I can confirm that we’re investigating this matter as potential acts of domestic terrorism fueled both by anti-Semitism and anti-law enforcement beliefs,” the attorney general said, pointing to the gunmen’s hatred of Jews and police.
In a separate video, Director of the New Jersey office of Homeland Security Jared Maples denounced anti-Semitism.
“There is no place for hate in New Jersey, and we’re dedicating all our resources possible to try and stop this violence, and to stop the trend of antisemitic behavior throughout the United States and certainly New Jersey,” Maples said.
Executive Director of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce Duvi Honig, who appeared in both videos, thanked Maples for ensuring the local Jewish business districts’ “sense of security.”
Two gunmen killed three people in the Jersey City Kosher Supermarket — store owner Leah Minda Ferencz, Moshe Deutsch, and an employee at the store, Douglas Miguel Rodriguez. Police officer Joe Seals was killed at another location.
On Sunday, the FBI arrested convicted felon Ahmed A-Hady after his phone number was found along with the address of a pawnshop on a note in the back pocket of the dead gunman, David Anderson.
Six rifles (including three AR-15-style assault rifles), three handguns, and one shotgun were found at the pawnshop, the US Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
“In addition, during the searches of the pawnshop and A-Hady’s private residence, law enforcement recovered over 400 rounds of ammunition, including a large number of hollow point bullets,” the statement said.
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