A man has been arrested in Newark for the March 31st fatal shooting of a Jersey City man, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit arrested a 23-year-old man tonight in Newark in connection with the March 31st fatal shooting of Damone Smith in Jersey City. More info to follow,” the law enforcement agency tweeted minutes ago.
Smith was shot near the intersection of Rose and Cator Avenues at the end of last month and died while receiving treatment at the Jersey City Medical Center, officials said.
Thursday morning at 10:16 a.m., Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez released more information.
The HCPO’ Homicide Unit arrested and charged Phillip Wiggins, 23, of Jersey City, in connection with the shooting death of 25-year-old Damone Smith on March 31st in Jersey City.
Wiggins was arrested without incident on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, just before 7 p.m. at a residence on Seymour Avenue in Newark.
Wiggins has been charged with murder, a first-degree crime, possession of a weapon (firearm) for an unlawful purpose in violation, a second-degree crime, and unlawful possession of a weapon, a second-degree crime.
At the time of his arrest, Wiggins was found to be wanted on a fugitive from justice warrant from Texas and was also processed on that charge, authorities said.
On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, just after 8:30 p.m., members of the Jersey City Police Department responded to a report of shots fired in the area of Cator Avenue and Rose Avenue in Jersey City.
Responding officers were also informed that the victim, later identified as Damone Smith, 25, of Jersey City, was transported from the scene in a private vehicle.
Smith, who had been transported to the Jersey City Medical Center, sustained gunshot wound(s) to the upper body and was pronounced deceased at approximately 2:15 a.m. on April 1, 2020.
The cause of death was determined to be from a gunshot wound and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.
Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the Jersey City Police Department for the investigation and arrest.
This was the first of five fatal shootings that have taken place in Jersey City in just over three weeks, despite a stay-at-home emergency order in effect statewide.
Yesterday, the HCPO announced the arrest of Bernard Wilson, 27, of Bayonne, in connection with the shooting death of 38-year-old Abimael Fuentes.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information.Â
Wow how crazy this is that we are just killing one another for the most unimportant and stupid thing. It is upsetting to see an hear how they are killing each other and losing their freedom for nothing that can be resolved.