JERSEY CITY, N.J. (WCBS 880) -- Five men who officials said are Jersey City gang members were charged Friday in connection to the murders of a bystander and a rival gang member.
Shaquan “Nut” Rush, 21, Darby “GoHard” Shirden, 21, and Jeremy “Smoov” Erez, 23, all of Jersey City, were charged with murder in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Devon “Joker” Tutten, 24, and Tyree “Surf” Witherspoon, 29, both also from Jersey City were also charged in another shooting.
All five are associated with neighborhood street gangs within Jersey City, officials said. Their gang operates in the area of Rutgers Avenue and Triangle Park.
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On April 1, 2020, in retaliation for the murder of a high-ranking gang member two days earlier, Rush, Shirden and Perez traveled to rival territory that operate around the Salem Lafayette Apartments.
The group allegedly opened fire on the street, striking two people — a gang member and a 17-year-old girl who was a bystander.
The teen died the following day, officials said.
Then on April 4, in retaliation for an attempted shooting the day before, Tutten and Witherspoon traveled to the area of different gang members associated around Wilkinson Avenue and opened fire.
A person associated with the Wilkinson gang was shot in the head and died soon after, according to a criminal complaint.
Murder in aid of racketeering charges carry a mandatory punishment of death or life in prison without parole, while the discharging a firearm charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, with a max of life.
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