In the late morning of December 16, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the lunchtime calm at a restaurant on Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City. Inside, 16-year-old Pedro Junior Rodriguez was shot multiple times. The teenager, a student at Snyder High School, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after police responded to reports of gunfire around 11:45 a.m.
The cause of his death was later determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Known as Pedrito to his loved ones, the young man was described as an active and inquisitive teenager who was always thinking of others. He was a student at Snyder High School and had aspirations of owning his own business. He enjoyed lifting weights, playing video games, and had a passion for dressing well, living by the slogan 'Dress to impress'.
In the wake of the shooting, an investigation was launched by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit with assistance from the Jersey City Police Department. Their efforts led to the identification of two suspects, both teenagers themselves. The first, a 17-year-old, surrendered to detectives on December 27, 2021. The second suspect, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was arrested on March 23, 2022.
The two individuals arrested were later identified as Juan Crawford, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, and Leo Barker, who was 16. Both were charged with murder and weapons offenses. In a significant development, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office announced in September 2022 that both Crawford and Barker would be tried as adults, facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted.
