Hoboken dedicates community gym, posthumously names young man a firefighter after tragic death
HOBOKEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- Friends and family gathered to honor a man who was gunned down before fulfilling his dream of becoming a firefighter in Hoboken.
The City of Hoboken held a dedication ceremony to rename the gymnasium at 605 Jackson St. in honor of Damon Murray, a lifelong Hoboken resident who tragically lost his life to gun violence in April at the age of 21.
"Damon Murray embodied the very essence of resilience and leadership, leaving an indelible mark on our community through his athleticism and unwavering dedication to guiding our youth," said Mayor Bhalla. "By renaming the gymnasium in his honor, we pay homage to his legacy and pledge to continue the fight against senseless gun violence, ensuring that Damon's light continues to inspire and guide us all."
"I am blessed to see the outpouring of love and support the community had, and continues to have, for my son," said Damon's mother, Carolyn Dejarnette-Murray. "Damon is gone too soon, but I hope the gym renaming will help make sure he will never be forgotten."
A 2020 graduate of, and star athlete for the football and basketball teams at Hoboken High School, Murray was a preferred walk-on for the Rutgers University football program.
Murray was recently working for the Hoboken Public School District, specifically with special needs children as a paraprofessional.
"I was a sub, and he was a paraprofessional, and the kids absolutely adored him," Murray's best friend Nijon Freeman said.
He was on his way to becoming a Hoboken firefighter along with Freeman and furthering his career in public service, when his life was tragically cut short.
Murray's interview was scheduled two days after he was senselessly gunned down outside a Hoboken Housing Authority building on April 28.
Thursday was Freeman's first day with the fire department along with 12 others in the new class. It was a bittersweet day as his friend, Murray, was supposed to be by his side.
"I'm happy that I not only get to do it for myself at this point, but do it for Damon," Freeman said.
The department Thursday posthumously hired Murray and presented his family with a fire helmet.
"The department actually suffered a loss too. I would have loved to have processed him and put him on payroll and then nurtured him 25 years through his career," said Hoboken Fire Chief Anton Peskens.
The number 10 is also in the name of a nonprofit started in his memory by his friends called 10Reazons, which works to prevent more violence.
"Just to show the kids that there's definitely more than just the neighborhood, definitely more than just the projects, there's more outside, there's more things to do," a friend Ezire King said.
The new Damon Murray Community Gym is exactly the type of place where that mentorship can live on.
"This is the Damon Murray gym. I want that to be a source of inspiration to you in the next generation." Mayor Bhalla said.
"For something like this to open in his name, it fulfills my heart," Freeman said.
Murray's death marked Hoboken's first murder case in nearly two years.
The Hoboken Police Department responded to 20 Marshall Drive after shots were fired.
Murray, who had a gunshot wound to the abdomen, was rushed to the hospital in a private car, but later died.
Albert Morales, 33, was charged with murder and possession of a Weapon, police said. He was arrested in Chicopee, Massachusetts on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, by members of the Massachusetts State Police.
Morales is awaiting trial.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
