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Jersey City boy, 13, shot in leg during birthday party, and man in vicinity is shot three times, police say

Saturday, May 22, 2010
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A 13-year-old Jersey City boy was shot on a Greenville street during his birthday party late Thursday and a 23-year-old man was critically wounded when he was hit three times a half-block away, authorities said.

Police responded to a call of shots being fired at Orient and Rose avenues at 10:06 p.m. and found the boy, who turned 13 that day, suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg, reports said.

The Winfield Avenue boy and his mother told police children were setting off fireworks at his party, which was being held at a relative's home, when gunfire erupted, reports said.

The boy said he didn't realize he was hit at first, but then his leg "felt like it was on fire."

The boy said he didn't see anyone shooting, but did see a car speeding northbound on Rose Avenue, reports said.

The boy was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center and the officers then learned that a second victim had just arrived there, reports said.

At the Medical Center, police spoke to a friend of the Kearny Street victim who said he and three other people were in his parked car down the block from the party when they heard seven shots ring out, reports said.

The friend, a 23-year-old Whiton Street man, said that after the gunfire he saw the 23-year-old victim "running toward the car and bleeding profusely," reports said.

The Kearny Street victim got into the vehicle and was driven to the Medical Center, where doctors said he had been shot twice in the abdomen and once in the right thigh, reports said.

The driver of the vehicle said he didn't see anyone shooting, reports said, adding that the only thing he saw was children lighting fireworks in the street at Orient and Rose.

Yesterday, firecrackers littered the street and sidewalk where the birthday boy was shot.

The younger victim was listed in stable condition Thursday night and he remained stable yesterday, police said, adding that the older victim was listed in critical but stable condition yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon, a boy who peeked out a window at the residence where the birthday party was held said no one could come to the door. A woman who answered the door at the home of the 23-year-old victim chose not to comment.

Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call the Jersey City police tip line at (201) 547-JAIL.