BAYONNE - An 18-year-old man was shot in his his back this afternoon at the 16th Street Park in Bayonne, according to police.

The 18-year-old was sitting on a bench at the racquetball court when the driver of a black SUV fired at least three shots at him, one of those shots striking the man in the upper right side of his back, Police Lt. Franco Amato said.

The shooting was reported at 5:06 p.m. and the shooting victim was rushed by ambulance to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health where he is in stable condition, Amato said.

Police gave no motive for the shooting. They have interviewed seven people who were at the scene and witnessed the entire incident, Amato said.



This evening police could be seen at the waterside park. An area in the parking lot adjacent to the racquetball court is cordoned off with yellow police tape.

A couple that lives on 16th Street, across the street from the park, said they were watching a movie around 4:30 p.m. when they heard three gunshots.

They said they ran outside to see what was going on and heard a fourth shot and saw a black SUV speeding away west on 16th Street toward Kennedy Boulevard.

"We've lived here in Bayonne for 20 years and never saw anything like this," said the woman in the couple.

The couple said two weeks ago they heard a gunshot in the park, and last week, a young person was beat up there. These incidents could not be confirmed with police.

Some college-age boys playing basketball at the park this evening said they also heard at least one shot this afternoon that sounded a lot louder than the gunfire they normally hear coming from the nearby shooting range.

They were also told a young man had been shot. They said there's gang activity at the park but this apparent escalation of violence is unusual.

Amato said police had no information to indicate this shooting was gang related.