In the early evening hours of a summer Saturday in Jersey City, the life of a young man was tragically cut short. Isaiah M. Velasquez, a 17-year-old male, was in the area of 16th Street and Coles Street on June 24, 2023, when violence erupted. At approximately 8:02 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a notification of a shooting and dispatched officers to the scene.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Isaiah Velasquez suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the torso.
Emergency medical services were rendered, and he was quickly transported to the Jersey City Medical Center in a desperate attempt to save his life. Despite the efforts of the medical staff, Isaiah Velasquez succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at approximately 8:57 p.m. that same evening. The cause and manner of his death were left pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner's Office.
The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit, in conjunction with the Jersey City Police Department, immediately launched an active investigation into the fatal shooting. Their efforts led to the identification of a suspect, 22-year-old Isaiah McCord of Bayonne. The day after the shooting, on Sunday, June 25th, McCord was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office in Secaucus. He was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Following his arrest, Isaiah McCord was detained at the Hudson County Correctional Facility to await his first court appearance.
