Police: Jersey City man arrested for 19th Street shooting in Bayonne

A Jersey City man was arrested early this morning for a shooting on 19th Street in Bayonne that occurred at the beginning of the month, police said. 

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Raeqwan Cromartie, also known as Stewart Hikens, 22, of Jersey City, was charged with criminal attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon (handgun) and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, according to Police Capt. Joseph Scerbo.

“I would like to commend the detectives and other officers involved in this investigation for quickly identifying the shooter and bringing the appropriate charges against him,” Chief Drew Sisk said in a statement.

“I also want to thank the U.S. Marshals, Jersey City P.D., Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in tracking the shooter down and placing him under arrest.”

On December 3, at approximately 2:00 p.m., a shooting occurred near the intersection of  19th Street and Avenue C, where the victim was struck twice, police said.

The initial investigation into this matter, which involved intra-agency coordination between the Bayonne Police Detective Bureau and Patrol Division, resulted in identifying the shooter as Cromartie, authorities said.

On the strength of the identification and further investigation, a warrant was issued for Cromartie’s arrest.

Then this morning, at approximately 12:02 a.m., members of the U.S.  Marshals NY/NJ Regional Task Force, Jersey City Police Department, Hudson Count Prosecutor’s Office and Hudson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cromartie on this warrant in the area of Van Wagenen and Sip Avenues without incident, officials said.