Man's Death In Hoboken Park: Councilwoman And Mayor Give Updates

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken residents have been asking town officials for more information after a man was found dead at a waterfront park last Thursday — but the mayor says they'll have to wait.

Still, one councilwoman shared an update Tuesday morning, saying, in part, "The prevailing view is that this was not a homicide" — but stressing that officials are awaiting autopsy results.

This past Thursday morning, a jogger discovered a man's body at Maxwell Park, an area on Hoboken's north waterfront near the former Maxwell House coffee plant.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office began investigating the death, but did not release much information to the public.

Last Friday, 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher wrote to residents, "In my time living here, I’ve seen that tragic events like this in Hoboken tend to involve either self-inflicted harm or situations where the people involved knew each other. These are just some factors I’m weighing as we await more definitive information."

Mayor Ravi Bhalla followed up by writing later on Friday, "I have full faith that their [prosecutors'] teams and medical examiners will continue to investigate all possible circumstances regarding the death.

"While in these situations the Prosecutor’s Office asks the City to refrain from comment, I’ve received understandable requests for updates from members of our community. Here is what I can mention: This type of incident is rare in our community, and when it does occur, it can certainly cause concern. I want to assure residents that at this time we do not believe there is an active threat to our community stemming from this incident. In addition, HPD regularly conducts checks of our parks during overnight and early morning hours, which will continue. Once the Prosecutor’s office, the law enforcement office in charge of the investigation, has additional information to provide, we will be sure to share that."

One person wrote, in response to Bhalla, "Actually no one has communicated anything yet except that it was a male."

Tuesday Update

On Tuesday, Fisher sent out a new newsletter with a bit more information. She wrote:

"Over the past couple of years, more and more community members have reached out to me expressing concerns about safety and the decline in quality of life in Hoboken. Last week’s tragedy at Maxwell Park only heightened these worries. As of this writing, we’re still awaiting an official statement from the HCPO. Mayor Bhalla followed my last newsletter with a stronger worded message stating there’s no public safety concern, and I agree with this assessment based on the conversations I’ve had with investigators over the past few days."

She added, "The prevailing view is that this was not a homicide, the victim was not a Hoboken resident, and it specifically was not one of the homeless residents we often see in this area. However, out of an abundance of caution, the HCPO is waiting for the autopsy results before confirming."

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