A West 15th Street man has been apprehended for allegedly shooting a city resident last week in the city’s DiDomenico-16th Street Park, police officials announced Wednesday, April 29.
Steven A. Meleika, 25, of the 100 block of West 15th Street was taken into custody on Tuesday, April 28, by law enforcement officers in Orange County, Florida, where he had allegedly fled, according to a statement issued by the Bayonne Police Department (BPD).
An 18-year-old East 15th Street man was shot in the back on April 26 at 5:06 p.m. Witnesses said they saw a black sport utility vehicle leaving the scene after at least three shots had been fired.
“It was through these detectives’ exhaustive, old-fashioned police work that an [allegedly] dangerous individual was removed from our streets.” – Bayonne Police official
____________
An O’Brien Court resident said he heard a commotion and looked across the street toward the park.
“There was a guy sitting on the stoop, and he looked kind of dazed,” said the man who asked not to be identified. “The guy sitting on the stoop was dazed and he was shot.” Within a minute or two police cars responded. An ambulance followed shortly thereafter.
The investigation by the BPD’s Detective Bureau, directed by Capt. Robert Geisler and Sgt. Timothy Wilgus, identified Meleika as a suspect. After arrest warrants for attempted murder and weapons charges were issued for him on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 28, police went to Meleika’s residence on West 15th Street. He was not home, but police determined that he had flown to Orlando, Fla.
While searching the residence, three handguns, a small sword, a “dagger-type” knife, and a bullet-proof vest were found and taken into evidence, according to the police statement. Also confiscated was a car parked outside the premises which allegedly matched the description of the shooter’s vehicle provided by multiple witnesses.
Working on the lead that Meleika had gone to a family member’s Florida home, Bayonne Police notified local authorities there about the Bayonne warrant issued, and Orange County Sheriff’s Department officers arrested Meleika without incident.
At the time of his arrest, Meleika was allegedly in possession of an “Uzi-type” gun, for which he will face criminal charges in Florida, the police statement said. Once those local charges are settled, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office will move for Meleika’s extradition back to New Jersey to face prosecution.
Meleika faces a number of charges when he returns, according to police. They include criminal attempted murder, aggravated assault, two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, two counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, [possession of] prohibited weapons and devices, and violating a Bayonne ordinance by discharging a firearm within city limits.
“It was through these detectives’ exhaustive, old-fashioned police work that an [allegedly] dangerous individual was removed from our streets,” a police official said.
Police said that Meleika has also been identified as a suspect in a prior incident, on March 25, when a male in a black SUV fired shots into the air at the same location.
The April 26 shooting does not appear to be gang related, according to police.
Residents voice reactions
A female resident of the neighborhood, who has raised two children there, said she was shocked by the shooting.
“We’ve never had anything like this before,” said the woman who has lived on the block her entire life, and who asked not to be identified. “I have to think that it’s an isolated incident. I really hope it is. That’s what the police are saying it is, and you have to have faith.”
Another female resident was also concerned.
“I live right there and have two teenagers,” she said. “But I can’t keep them in the house.”
A male resident took the April 26 incident in stride.
“We’ve always been around the park,” he said. “But there’s never been a shooting. A couple of car fires, and that’s it. I sloughed it off. Times have changed, and kids are nuts.”
Kudos to investigators
Mayor James Davis, Public Safety Director Robert Kubert, and Acting Police Chief Drew Sisk all commended Capt. Geisler and Sgt. Wilgus for their work on the case. They praised the investigative work of Detectives Patrick O’Neill, Albert Roesinger, Andrew Quinn, Tami Parsley, Daniel Murphy, Thomas Hojnacki, Carmen Cutro, John Ballance, and Keith Striffiolino.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.To comment on this story online visit www.hudsonreporter.com.