On a cold January night in Jersey City, the life of 25-year-old Rafael Ralphie Leonardo Gomez was tragically cut short. On Sunday, January 29, 2023, at approximately 9:35 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department responded to reports of gunfire in the area of Summit Avenue and Poplar Street. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Gomez with apparent gunshot wounds to his torso.
Emergency Medical Services swiftly transported Gomez to the Jersey City Medical Center.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at approximately 11:09 p.m. The Regional Medical Examiner's Office later determined that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the torso, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
In the months that followed, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the Jersey City Police Department actively investigated the case. Their efforts led to a significant development on August 22, 2023, with the arrest of 18-year-old Sylis Lopez of Union City. Lopez was apprehended at the Hudson County Correctional Facility, where he was being held on an unrelated matter.
Sylis Lopez has been charged with Murder as an Accomplice, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in connection with the fatal shooting of Rafael Gomez. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
