State mourns slain Jersey City officer; Department on edge after gang threats
JERSEY CITY (WABC) -- Police in Jersey City continue to be on alert over concerns of retaliation as Jersey City prepared for funeral services for Officer Melvin Santiago, a 23-year-old who was slain early Sunday outside a 24-hour drugstore in what authorities say was an ambush.
ESU cops showed up outside a meeting Wednesday night in nearly full riot gear, with K9s and automatic weapons, they closed off streets, and they arrested a man in a wheelchair.
"Why are they arresting you?" Eyewitness News asked.
"I don't know," the man said.
"What did you do?" Eyewitness News asked.
"I don't know," he said, "Maybe it's a mix up. A misunderstanding."
"Everyone feels the tension, it's bad," a resident said.
Things are so bad, that dozens of people came to what they thought would be a community meeting with the mayor, but instead, no one was let in except clergy members, some of whom, community members argue, have no connection with the street.
"I don't even recognize them," said Myron Mitchell, a resident.
"I personally think it's a waste of time," said Hoss Robinson, a resident.
All of this tension boiled over after Police Officer Melvin Santiago was ambushed and murdered at a drug store Sunday morning, and his killer shot and killed by police.
The city has been tense ever since, wondering what would happen next, but the mayor is hoping his meeting with clergy would help.
"What do you tell your congregation," Eyewitness News asked a minister.
"Stick together, go to the book," said Elder Tyson Halley, a minister.
Part of the warning from the New Jersey Regional Operations Center is for officers working alone on the Pulaski Skyway construction detail. The warning is that a known street gang is calling in members from other areas to retaliate against Jersey City police.
The memo titled Officer Safety Bulletin states... "this alert is deemed credible..." It explains the concern stems from the death of Officer Melvin Santiago and possibly the result of the officer involved shooting death of Lavon King last month.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said such threats frequently crop up after police shootings and are rarely credible.
"Every urban area, every police department knows that after every single police shooting, threats come in," Fulop said. "Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time they're not credible, but we always take them seriously."
WATCH DARLA MILES' REPORT:
Yet, another note from the New Jersey State Police is warning not just for law enforcement officers, but EMTs as well, saying gang members will "...attack and shoot Jersey EMTs" because they know officers will respond.
In a written statement the Jersey City Medical Center said, "We have taken steps to insure a safe working environment for our employees."
The state police memo also says gang members may be stashing automatic weapons in abandoned properties along Martin Luther King Drive. On Tuesday, Santiago's commanding officer spoke briefly about any possibly threats.
The alerts come as the Jersey City Police Department prepares to honor Santiago. The United States honor flag was flown in from Texas that will be used during his funeral.
Honoring the slain rookie is what law enforcement wants to focus on. The union wouldn't comment directly on the alert.
Since Sunday, tensions have risen over a sidewalk memorial set up for Campbell in the crime-plagued neighborhood where he lived. Fulop ordered the memorial taken down Tuesday.
Around the corner from Campbell's memorial is a separate memorial to Lavon King, a 20-year-old shot by police after they said he struggled with a police officer and tried to disarm him.
Fulop said Santiago will be promoted to the rank of detective and receive the department's Medal of Honor. The promotion and ceremony will happen at his wake Thursday. His funeral is scheduled for Friday.
Gov. Chris Christie ordered flags at state office buildings to be flown at half-staff Wednesday for Santiago.
