Jersey City Man Charged in Father's Murder

Gerard Brooker Jr., 25, of Jersey City, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his 52-year-old father, Gerard Brooker Sr., after a shooting on Wade Street Saturday night. Police responded to the shooting at around 8:15 p.m. and found the elder Brooker with multiple gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. Brooker Jr. was identified as a person of interest and arrested by NYPD in Manhattan at approximately 2:40 a.m. Sunday. He faces charges of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. Authorities credited the swift collaboration between Jersey City police, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the NYPD for the prompt arrest. This incident marks Jersey City's seventh homicide of the year, equaling the total number of homicides recorded in 2024.