Jersey City, New Jersey Active Shooter Reported, All Public Schools on Lock-down

A shooting in Jersey City, New Jersey left multiple officers shot on Tuesday afternoon. The active shooter situation reportedly has every public school in the city on lockdown. At the time of this writing, one shooter has reportedly been “neutralized,” while another may be at large.

According to a report by CBS News, multiple local and federal agencies responded to a shooting a residential street in Jersey City on Tuesday. The local sheriff’s office worked with other local police and SWAT units, as well as officers from the ATF. Police believe there were two shooters — one man and one woman — but it is unclear which one was “neutralized.”

The shooting reportedly broke out inside a bodega in an otherwise residential neighborhood. The gunfire began around 2 p.m. and continued for about 20 seconds.

Shots were fired inside the store, and police sent in a robot to get eyes and ears inside, according to CNN. A law enforcement official said that no one is in custody yet.

“I have been briefed on the unfolding situation in Jersey City,” said New Jersey governor Phil Murphy in a public statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the men and women of the Jersey City Police Department, especially with the officers shot during this standoff, and with the residents and schoolchildren currently under lockdown.”

In addition to local police, the New York Police Department’s Emergency Service Unit reportedly crossed into Jersey City to help. There is no word yet on which agencies the injured officers belonged to, nor their status. Ambulances and helicopters both rushed to the scene to help the wounded.

According to the local NBC News affiliate, two civilians were hit in the shooting, which was described as an “ambush.” The outlet described one shooter as a man with a long gun, who spent “hours” holed up inside the store. A police official told reporters that there were four other people inside the bodega when the shooting began.

Meanwhile, students inside public schools posted videos of their classmates huddled together on floors in classrooms and hallways, far from windows. Even the computers were locked down, with full-screen messages warning about the situation. According to gun control activist Shannon Watts, this was the case for every school in the city.

School officials have issued reassuring statements in the press and on social media, stating that “all students and staff are safe.” So far, there is nothing to suggest that the schools were targeted by the shooting in any way.