Teenager charged with fatal shooting of Jersey City high school student
Tracy J. Chappelle 2 min read
A 17-year-old Jersey City resident has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old Snyder High School student earlier this month, officials said yesterday.
The arrested teenager, whose name has not been released, went to homicide detectives at the Hudson County District Attorney’s Office and was charged as a minor on Monday afternoon, officials said.
A second arrest is expected, the HCPO said in a statement.
The victim, Pedro Rodriguez, suffered several gunshot wounds and was found unconscious around 11:50 a.m. on December 16 by police responding to a shooting call on Communipaw Avenue near Martin Luther King Drive, said responsible. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In addition to the murder, the 17-year-old is charged with possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm for illegal purposes, the HCPO said.
He was remanded in the Morris County Juvenile Detention Center pending his first court appearance.
Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Norma Fernandez, told the Jersey Journal earlier this month that the victim is not currently in school, but his family and the school are looking for options for him so he can carry on studies.
“Pedro was a calm and respectful young man,” Fernandez said at the time. “Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to family and friends as they face this horrific tragedy.”
The HCPO Homicide Unit is investigating the case with assistance from the Jersey City Police Department. Anyone with information is urged to contact the HCPO at 201-915-1345 or leave an anonymous message on the prosecutor’s official website, hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential, officials said.
