Det. Joseph Seals was slain by gunmen who went on to attack a Jersey City kosher market on Dec. 10, 2019. (Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association)
(JTA) — Police are warning that several online fundraisers for the family of a detective slain prior to the shootout at a kosher market in Jersey City are fake.
“We found out last night that a reprehensible group of people are online trying to profiteer off the misfortune of others,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Wednesday at a news conference. “I can’t find the words for how disgusting this conduct is. What I can tell you is we’re looking at it. We’re investigating it.”
Det. Joseph Seals was shot dead Tuesday at a cemetery before the suspects, a man and a woman, proceeded to the JC Kosher Supermarket, which law enforcement believes was deliberately targeted. They killed three people there during a gun battle with police before being shot dead.
The New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association also posted a warning on Twitter.
“Warning – We have been alerted that there are numerous GoFundMe pages set up for Det. Joseph Seals most, if not all, are fake,” it said on Tuesday morning.
That afternoon, the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association posted a link on Twitter to the genuine GoFundMe page for the Seals family.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.