The Jersey City Police Department is working to recover from the double shooting that took place Monday in front of the West District police department on Communipaw Avenue.
In a press conference held Tuesday, Mayor Glenn Cunningham said that Julio Reyes, 44, a nine-year veteran of the city’s Police Department, had shot and injured former girlfriend Omayra Soberal, 34, Monday and then killed himself at 9:10 p.m.
Soberal had just taken out a restraining order on Reyes, and Reyes was going to be asked to turn in his gun.
Reyes died of a single gun shot wound to his head, Cunningham said, while Soberal was immediately transferred to Jersey City Medical Center. As of late Thursday afternoon, Soberal was listed in critical condition.
“The entire department is saddened whenever we lose an officer,” said Harry Sandwith, head of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association. “Our hearts go out to the families of Officer Reyes and Omayra Soberal.”
Flanked by Police Director James Carter and Deputy Director Edgar Martinez, Cunningham outlined the events leading up to Monday’s double shooting.
“At 7:45 p.m., a judge issued a temporary restraining order that required the seizing of Officer Reyes’ weapon,” said Cunningham. Two hours later, he said, Reyes was at the West District, where he was to be served with the restraining order, keeping him away from Soberal. He also was to have his service pistol taken away from him, according to Cunningham.
At the same time, Soberal was in the police office. Two officers, Joseph Walsh and Larry Quish, were escorting Soberal to a police car, an action Cunningham said was standard police procedure in processing a restraining order.
“At 9:10 p.m., Reyes was approaching Sgt. John Younger, who was to serve Reyes the warrant, when he saw Soberal and the officers,” Cunningham said.
At that point, Cunningham said, Reyes immediately changed direction and ran out the front door of the precinct.
“Officer Younger ordered Reyes to stop as he left,” said Cunningham.
Reyes continued to the police car that Soberal, Walsh and Quish had already entered and opened the door where Soberal was sitting.
“Reyes fired five times into the car, striking Soberal three times,” Cunningham added. “Officers Walsh and Quish quickly exited the car, intending to restrain Reyes. But they were too late to stop him.”
It was at that point Reyes took his own life.
Soberal was taken to Jersey City Medical Center for treatment for the gunshot wounds, while Walsh and Quish were treated for post traumatic stress syndrome and then released.
Sandwith stated Reyes had been suspended from the Jersey City Police Department recently in a domestic violence-related matter.
“He had been in counseling for a few months,” Sandwith stated. “He was almost finished.”
Long career
According to Sandwith, Reyes had a long career in Hudson County law enforcement. Reyes had started as a corrections officer before going to work with the Hudson County Police Department. Reyes joined the Jersey City police force in 1994.
“Julio Reyes was always a perfect gentleman and a quiet guy,” said Councilman E. Junior Maldonado. Maldonado said he had known Reyes for nearly 20 years.
“He should be remembered as a police officer and family man,” Maldonado stated. “And not for the last few seconds of his life.”
“This has been a dark day for three families,” said Carter. “The family of Omayra Soberal, the family of Officer Julio Reyes and the family of the Jersey City Police Department.”
Martinez said the department had instituted a number of programs to help Reyes’ fellow officers cope with Monday’s tragedy.
“We have a Cop to Cop program which will provide counseling services for the officers,” said Martinez. “The program will help officers deal with stress and anger management.”
Martinez added that the Cop to Cop program would be open to all officers in the department, with three-hour seminars being held at the county police academy.
“Director Carter had this program implemented immediately after the events on Monday,” said Martinez. Sandwith said the loss of Reyes was devastating to the police department.
“We have suffered a loss,” said Sandwith. “Our hearts go out to the Reyes and Soberal families.”