Moment two gunmen shoot Jersey City cop after killing another officer, stealing a U-Haul and killing three civilians while holed up in kosher store where SWAT team ends a two-hour gun battle by taking them out -

GUARDIAN

Detective Joseph Seals and three civilians were killed by two suspects in Jersey City on Tuesday
The two suspects were also dead after multi-hour standoff in the area of JC Kosher Supermarket
Horror ordeal started when Detective Seals approached the suspects at a cemetery as part of an investigation
Seals was shot dead and suspects fled the scene in a stolen U-Haul as police descended on the area
Suspects armed with long guns killed three others inside the market and injured multiple other cops
Witnesses said the gunshots continued for the next two hours as law enforcement flocked to the scene
President Donald Trump tweeted that he had been briefed on the situation and was monitoring it

By MEGAN SHEETS and KEITH GRIFFITH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Detective Joseph Seals, 39, was gunned down on Tuesday by the two unnamed suspects

One police officer, three civilians, and two suspects are dead after a multi-hour SWAT standoff at a kosher market.

Detective Joseph Seals, 39, was gunned down and killed on Tuesday by the two unnamed suspects, who then went on to hijack a U-Haul truck, kill three civilians in a market, and engage in an hours-long shootout with police before the suspects themselves died.

Shocking bystander video shows the moment that another police officer was injured by gunfire from the suspects’ high-powered rifles during the standoff.

Seals, a married father of five, was a member of the CeaseFire Unit, a special team that tried to de-escalate gun violence and get guns off the street.

At around 12.30pm, Seals approached two suspects at or around the Bay View Cemetery as part of an investigation, and was shot dead, according to Police Chief Michael Kelly.

The two suspects, who are both male despite previous reports to the contrary, then hijacked a U-Haul, fled the scene, and holed up in the JC Kosher Supermarket, killing three before dying in a police shootout.

Police say that at this time they do not believe the incident has a connection to terrorism, and that the situation is no longer active.

The incident terrified residents as gunfire rang out for hours, and at least two police officers were struck by gunfire in the standoff.

Both were transported for medical treatment and have since been released from the hospital.One police officer killed following shootout in Jersey CityLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:08PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:08/Duration Time0:15FullscreenAdvertisement

Six people have been killed in an hours-long shoot-out in Jersey City after a male and female suspect launched two-hour gun battle with a SWAT team that reportedly began in a cemetery and ended with them being shot inside a bodega

Gunfire erupted outside the JC Kosher Supermarket at 223 Martin Luther King Drive just after 12pm Tuesday as police officers reported over radio that two suspects armed with long guns had barricaded themselves inside and were shooting at anyone who approached

The gunshots continued for the next two hours, according to witnesses, as a heavy police presence from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies flocked to the scene

Video showed dozens of SWAT officers closing in on the bodega where the shots originated

Snapchat video from inside the school showed students sitting in the hallway and cowering under desks

The Sacred Heart School, located across the street from where the shooting took place, was put on lockdown shortly after noon. Snapchat video from inside the school showed students sitting in the hallway and cowering under desks

The shooting spree reportedly began at the Bay View Cemetery before the suspects fled to the JC Kosher SupermarketPolice respond to shooting in Jersey CityLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:25FullscreenNeed Text

Deafening gunfire rings out during Jersey City shootingLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:23FullscreenNeed Text

WABC reported that the incident began at the Bay View Cemetery when at least one shooter opened fire on a police officer.

The outlet said that the shooter then fled into the bodega and began firing on responding officers as they surrounded the store.

NBC4 quoted Hudson County officials as saying that two officers had been shot, one in the head, in an ‘ambush’.

The outlet said the shoot-out began when an officer investigating a homicide approached the suspects and was then shot and killed as the suspects fled to the bodega.

Four other people were thought to be inside the bodega, but it wasn’t clear whether any of those four were hurt or considered victims or suspects. SWAT and FBI swarm Jersey as gunshots ring out from active shooterLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:33FullscreenNeed Text

A heavy police presence is pictured at the scene soon after the active shooter situation was reported

FBI officials are pictured at the scene of the shooting at 223 Martin Luther King Drive

Medics are seen loading an injured woman into an ambulance on Martin Luther King DriveEyewitness describes chaos as SWAT exchanged fire with active shooterLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time1:40FullscreenNeed Text

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene, and the New York Police Department also sent emergency services personnel as its counterterrorism monitored the situation.

Police blocked off the area while dozens of bystanders stood around the perimeter and filmed the action on their cellphones.

Witness Brian Clark told CBS2: ‘I got caught in a one way street with a bunch of cars and I was wondering why nobody was moving. And all of a sudden I heard it. All the shots started. Shots started ringing out.

‘When I heard it, I see people running. I got out of the car and I see cops ducked down, and cops getting out of the way.

‘And I’m wondering why, what the hell? So I get out of my car and I see it, and I heard it – pow pow pow pow pow – then I realized I was in a shootout. I never heard that many shots in my life. It was like I was in a war zone.’

Andy Patel, works at a liquor store about three blocks away from the site of the shooting, told the Associated Press there had been consistent gunfire for at least an hour.

‘I can hear the gunshots. It’s like firecrackers going off,’ Patel said. ‘They were shooting like crazy about an hour ago. Then it stopped for like 20 or 30 minutes. The cops were clearing everyone off the streets.’ Emergency services rush to the scene of Jersey City shootingLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:36FullscreenNeed Text

Martin Luther King Drive was blocked off in both directionsJersey City schools on lockdown as police engage shootersLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:22FullscreenNeed Text

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy tweeted that he had been briefed on the unfolding situation.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the men and women of the Jersey City Police Department, especially with the officers shot during this standoff, and with the residents and schoolchildren currently under lockdown,’ Murphy wrote.

The Sacred Heart School, located across the street from where the shooting took place, was put on lockdown shortly after noon.

Snipers were later seen on the roof of the building.

Jersey City Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas confirmed that both Lincoln and Snyder high schools are on lockdown, as well as Schools 12, 14, 29, and 41.

President Donald Trump tweeted: ‘Just received a briefing on the horrific shootout that took place in Jersey City, NJ. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & their families during this very difficult & tragic time.

‘We will continue to monitor the situation as we assist local & state officials on the ground.’

This is a developing story. Gunshots ring out in Jersey City as SWAT team engages shooterLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time1:33FullscreenNeed Text