The gunmen who killed three people at a kosher supermarket after fatally shooting a police officer in Jersey City on Tuesday "targeted the location they attacked,” Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said late Tuesday.

“Based on our initial investigation (which is ongoing) we now believe the active shooters targeted the location they attacked,” the mayor said on Twitter late Tuesday. “Due to an excess of caution the community may see additional police resources in the days/weeks ahead. We have no indication there are any further threats.”

Based on our initial investigation (which is ongoing) we now believe the active shooters targeted the location they attacked. Due to an excess of caution the community may see additional police resources in the days/weeks ahead. We have no indication there are any further threats — Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) December 11, 2019

Fulop’s tweet did not say if investigators believe the shooting was an anti-Semitic hate crime.

The mayor’s tweet was met swiftly with replies demanding clarification, adding to confusion while many details surrounding the attack remained unclear.

New York State Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, who represents two Brooklyn neighborhoods, was among those calling for clarification late Tuesday, saying in a tweet to Fulop, “with all due respect, if you believe that the Jewish community was ‘TARGETED’ you must say it CLEARLY and MAKE SURE your constituents are protected.”

Mayor @StevenFulop, with all due respect, if you believe that the Jewish community was “TARGETED” you must say it CLEARLY and MAKE SURE your constituents are protected. https://t.co/dqwOh8ibnD — Simcha Eichenstein (@SEichenstein) December 11, 2019

Earlier Tuesday evening, Jersey City Police Chief Mike Kelly, joined by the mayor at a press conference, said: “We have no inkling what the motive was yet. Our officers were under fire for hours.”

A spokeswoman for the mayor’s office referred an inquiry to the state Attorney General’s Office, which issued a statement late Tuesday.

“We stand with Jersey City as we mourn today’s terrible tragedy. The Attorney General’s Office is leading the criminal investigation and any public statements about the matter will be issued by our office,” state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement. “We continue to work closely with our federal, county, and local partners and we remain grateful for the outpouring of support from law enforcement across the region and the nation.”

“We recognize the fear that communities rightfully feel after traumatic incidents such as these, and we are committed to providing all resources necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our fellow residents,” the statement added.

Authorities have said there was no ongoing threat to the area and no indication the shooting was terrorism.

"Based on everything we now know, there are no ongoing threats to public safety,” Gov. Phil Murphy said at a separate earlier press briefing.

The bloodshed began around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday when veteran Jersey City Police Detective Joseph Seals, 40, was shot dead in Bayview Cemetery. The attackers then went to the kosher market, on Martin Luther King Drive, where they killed three other people and launched an hours-long gun battle with police.

Members of the Jewish community were among the dead, and Fulop said he was in contact with the Jewish community in the city.

“While we work through details/investigation of today’s incident I know the entire Jersey City community stands together with the Jewish Community during these challenging times,” the mayor said on Twitter, shortly before tweeting that the gunfire was targeted.

Rabbi Jack Meyer, co-founder of a Brooklyn-based, Orthodox Jewish emergency relief and bereavement organization, Misaskim, was called to the crime scene in Jersey City Tuesday “to build a bridge” between law enforcement officials investigating the crime and the families of the victims, he said.

He helps provide investigators “whatever information they need from the family,” Meyer said. “We also serve as a chaplain.”

Meyer said it is early in the investigation yet, and as of about 9 p.m., police were still working on making positive identification of the victims. Meyer said he knew and spoke with the father and husband of one of the suspected victims, who was shopping at the time of the crime. He declined to identify the victim.

Jewish law requires the deceased to be buried as quickly as possible, physically intact. After the massacre of 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh last year, Meyer and members of his organization helped remove blood and body fragments that were buried with the deceased, according to published reports.

The NYPD is boosting their presence at high-profile sites, including synagogues. They are working with Jersey PD and state police.



Much thanks to @NYPDShea for his vigilance & constant communication.



The investigation into the motive for today’s shooting is developing. — Councilman Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) December 11, 2019

New York City Councilman Chaim Deutsch said the NYPD was boosting its presence at “high-profile sites, including synagogues.” New York authorities were working with Jersey City police and New Jersey State Police, the councilman said.

“The Mayor of Jersey City has asserted that today’s incident was a deliberate attack targeting the Jewish community,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter.

“This tragically confirms that a growing pattern of violent anti-Semitism has now turned into a crisis for our nation. And now this threat has reached the doorstep of New York City,” de Blasio’s post said.

Although there is no credible or specific threat directed against New York City, I have directed the NYPD to assume a state of high alert.



Tonight, NYPD assets are being redeployed to protect key locations in the Jewish community. Tomorrow, we will announce additional measures. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 11, 2019

Officials have not released the names of the shooters or others who died.

- Reporter Susan K. Livio contributed to this story.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.