Jersey City shooting: FBI searching for van, lawmakers hold interfaith roundtable
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- The FBI is searching for a van that belonged to one of the alleged shooters in the Jersey City standoff earlier this week that ended with the deaths of a police officer and three civilians, in addition to both suspects.
Law enforcement says the white 2001 Ford van with license plate number B40JSD belonged to 47-year-old David Anderson, and that he and the other suspect, 50-year-old Francine Graham, were living in it after they were evicted from their Elizabeth townhome.
Authorities say a similar van was spotted at that location as they routinely sneaked into the townhouse after it was foreclosed.
And while investigators have said they believe hate to be the motive behind the murders, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop sent out a tweet that he believes the suspects were targeting the Yeshiva directly over the Kosher market on Tuesday.
Anderson and Graham are believed to be followers of the fringe group called the Black Hebrew Israelites, known to espouse anti-Semitic, anti-white and anti-police tendencies.
Video reportedly shows Anderson going toward the door of the Yeshiva before pivoting to enter the JC Kosher Supermarket on Martin Luther King Drive.
Meanwhile, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced Friday that it will pay off the mortgage of slain Detective Joe Seals, who leaves behind a wife and five children.
The victims found inside the supermarket are 24-year-old Moshe Deutsch, 49-year-old Douglas Miguel Rodriguez, and 31-year-old Mindy Ferencz.
Related: What we know about victims inside Jewish market
Also on Friday, Senator Bob Menendez and Governor Phil Murphy hosted an interfaith roundtable discussion at Temple Beth-El in Jersey City. Along with prayers offered by local religious leaders, lawmakers called for unity, dialogue and national legislation to curb gun violence.
WATCH: Gov. Murphy, Sen. Menendez host interfaith roundtable discussion in Jersey City
Later, Menendez, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition and other local leaders held a candlelight vigil and called for gun safety reform.
Five firearms have been recovered linked to Anderson and Graham, including an AR-15-style weapon, a 12-gauge shotgun, a 9-mm semiautomatic weapon, a 9-mm Glock 17, and a .22 caliber Ruger Mark 4 with a silencer. Four weapons were found inside the market, while the Ruger was located inside the stolen U-Haul van the suspects drove to the scene.
Through serial numbers, authorities were able to trace two of them to separate gun shops in Ohio, where Graham reportedly purchased them.
Related: What we know about the suspects
Authorities said Thursday that while both suspects showed interest in the group, they have not been formally linked to the Black Hebrew Israelites or any other organization.
Officials also said a device found in the back of the U-Haul proved to be an operable explosive device, a pipe bomb. Also in the U-Haul were notes with religious writings, one of which included the quote, "I do this because my creator makes me do this and I hate who he hates," according to multiple law enforcement sources.
The bomb squad detonated the device, though it remains unclear what the suspects had planned to do with it.
The incident began at the Bay View Cemetery, where Seals was fatally shot and another officer wounded in the shoulder.
Related: What we know about Detective Joseph Seals
Officials say Anderson and Graham then drove the U-Haul about a mile to the grocery store, parking across the street and exiting the vehicle with guns drawn. They immediately began firing, shooting four people inside, one of whom managed to flee from the scene.
Officers in the area quickly arrived on scene, trapping the two suspects inside. The lengthy gun battle then commenced.
Gov. Murphy ordered that the U.S. and New Jersey flags be flown at half-staff at all state buildings and facilities from December 13 through December 20 in honor of the victims of the shooting.
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