Gunshots rang out around 2 a.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of the Walgreens at 1300 Willow Ave. in Hoboken, prompting a police response and a temporary closure of the store while detectives worked the scene. No injuries or victims were reported, according to a statement from the Hoboken Police Department.
The Hoboken Police Department Detective Bureau is investigating the incident and is asking anyone with information or relevant video footage to contact Det. Jesse Castellano at 201-420-2100 ext. 3127 or by email, according to Hudson County View. Marci Rubin, a public safety spokeswoman, said no additional information was available at the time. The outlet noted it would update the story if new details emerge.
The Walgreens location was temporarily closed Wednesday morning following the shots-fired report, and officers had largely cleared the parking lot by 9 a.m., with traffic resuming normally nearby, per Patch.
Shoplifting History at the Walgreens
The 1300 Willow Ave. Walgreens has a history of shoplifting incidents. The latest incident involved reported gunfire.
It is not the first weapons report Hoboken police have fielded this year. In March 2026, officers responded to an unconfirmed report of a single gunshot fired near 500 Marshall Drive on the city's west side.
State Penalties for Gun Crimes Near Businesses
Under New Jersey firearm law, recklessly discharging a firearm within 100 yards of an occupied structure or retail business is elevated to a third-degree crime, carrying three to five years in state prison and fines up to $15,000, according to LegiScan. Separately, knowingly possessing a handgun without a valid New Jersey carry permit is classified as a second-degree crime under state statute, carrying a mandatory sentencing range of five to ten years in prison, per the Benevento Law Firm LLC.
Those statutes loom over any eventual arrest in the Walgreens case, though no suspect has been identified and police have released no description of who may have fired the shots.
Rare Incident Against a Backdrop of Falling Crime
Despite the alarming overnight gunfire, Hoboken's overall violent crime numbers remain comparatively low. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data compiled for 2024 recorded 108 violent crimes in Hoboken, a rate of 188.5 per 100,000 residents that sits roughly 48% below the national average, according to OpenCrime. Statewide, New Jersey's violent crime rate fell 11.8% in 2025 to 193.8 incidents per 100,000 residents.
Hoboken has still seen its share of high-profile gun violence in recent years. In June 2026, a Hudson County jury convicted 35-year-old Albert Morales of murder and weapons offenses in the April 2024 fatal shooting of 21-year-old Damon Murray near 320 Marshall Drive, according to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. That case, one of the city's highest-profile gun crimes, prompted city funding for a mobile police command center and has continued to shape public safety policy debates in Hoboken.
A Growing Police Force
The Hoboken Police Department expanded its active workforce to 147 sworn officers in June 2026 after six new recruits graduated from the Hudson County Police Academy and were sworn in, the City of Hoboken announced. The new officers were immediately assigned to field training.
Police are asking anyone with relevant video or information to contact them.
