In the late hours of a Tuesday night in Jersey City, the sounds of a party at the Holy Ghost Tabernacle Ministries on Communipaw Avenue were tragically interrupted by gunfire. Seventeen-year-old Leander Williams was shot just before 11:30 p.m. on August 9, 2016. He was rushed to Jersey City Medical Center, but the young man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead around midnight.
Authorities later revealed that Williams had a gunshot wound to his upper body and was found unconscious and unresponsive at the scene. Officials stated that the shooting was not a random act of violence and that Williams was the intended target. At the time of the incident, it was reported that he had a loaded gun in his possession.
The violence of that evening also left two other young people injured. A 16-year-old girl was discovered with a wound to her upper body. She was described as being disoriented and was taken to the hospital for treatment before being released. A 12-year-old girl was also wounded in the shooting and was transported to the hospital in stable condition. Both girls were eventually released after receiving medical care.
The investigation into the death of Leander Williams quickly focused on a single suspect. The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office identified 18-year-old Daequan Jackson as the individual responsible for the fatal shooting. A warrant was issued for his arrest, charging him with murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and weapons offenses. A search for Jackson ensued, and he ultimately surrendered to the authorities. On the evening of Monday, August 22, 2016, Daequan Jackson turned himself in to Hudson County homicide detectives. Following his surrender, he was processed and taken to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
