A Bayonne teenager who was shot in the leg during a Wednesday afternoon confrontation on West 23rd Street ended up under arrest himself, charged with carrying two loaded handguns and pointing one back at the vehicle full of people accused of shooting him. Five others, including three juveniles, now face attempted-murder charges in the same case, according to Bayonne police.
Officers responded to West 23rd Street and Church Lane at roughly 4:15 p.m. on Sept. 23 and recovered three spent shell casings at the scene before learning that 18-year-old Joseph Pilovsky had already arrived at RWJBarnabas Health – Bayonne with a gunshot wound to his leg, according to Bayonne Police Sgt. Kenneth Drago, as reported by Hudson County View. Per Daily Voice, Pilovsky was listed in stable condition after treatment.
Suspect Vehicle Stopped Within Minutes
Bayonne detectives moved fast. Within minutes of the shooting, they intercepted a vehicle believed to be involved near Route 440 North and 30th Street, a major commercial corridor about seven blocks from the scene, according to Hudson TV. Inside were 18-year-olds Quamere Allen of Bayonne and Jayshawn Smith of Jersey City, along with two 17-year-old Jersey City juveniles, all of whom were taken into custody.
A third 17-year-old, a Bayonne juvenile who investigators say had already exited the vehicle before the traffic stop, was later identified as the alleged shooter. Detectives arrested him at his residence and recovered a loaded handgun believed to have been used in the shooting, according to Shore News Network. That brought the total number arrested in connection with the case to five.
Victim Faces Weapons Charges Of His Own
The case took an unusual turn when police determined that Pilovsky, the shooting victim, had been carrying two loaded handguns during the encounter and pointed one at the suspect vehicle. He was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon, two counts each of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of prohibited weapons for a large-capacity magazine, per News 12 New Jersey's reporting. He was treated and placed under arrest.
The five other defendants face a heavier set of charges. Allen and Smith were each charged with criminal attempt-murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and conspiracy, according to Daily Voice. The three juveniles face the same attempted-murder and weapons counts, plus possession of a firearm by a minor.
What The Charges Could Mean In Court
The charges against Pilovsky differ from those facing the five others. Under New Jersey law, a conviction for first-degree attempted murder carries a statutory sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison, with parole ineligibility for 85% of that time under the state's No Early Release Act, according to sentencing guidance published by NJ Courts.
The three 17-year-olds' cases could still move to adult court. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-26.1, New Jersey prosecutors have up to 60 days from filing a complaint to petition the Superior Court Family Part to waive juvenile jurisdiction for defendants facing certain violent crimes, such as attempted murder, per Justia Law. Whether that waiver motion will be filed in this case remains to be seen.
Pilovsky also faces a charge related to a large-capacity magazine. The same agency notes that individuals must be at least 21 years old to obtain a permit to purchase or carry a handgun in the state, meaning none of the six people involved, all either 17 or 18, met the legal threshold for gun ownership.
Police Tally Three Guns Off The Streets
Bayonne Police Chief Joseph Scerbo confirmed that the single afternoon of investigative work resulted in three illegal loaded handguns being seized, one from the alleged juvenile shooter and two from Pilovsky himself, according to Hudson County View. Scerbo said the department's rapid response led directly to identifying and apprehending those involved and recovering the firearm used in the shooting, adding that the investigation remains ongoing, per Daily Voice.
No further details on potential bail status or upcoming court dates for the six defendants have been released.
