Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Joseph Seals was shot and killed at 12:30 pm in Bayview Cemetery after encountering two subjects, a man and woman, in a van that was linked to a homicide in Bayonne, New Jersey.
During the encounter, Detective Seals was shot in the back of the head. The two subjects then fled in the stolen van and eventually barricaded themselves inside of a kosher grocery store on Martin Luther King Drive. They murdered three people inside of the store and then engaged responding officers in a prolonged shootout for several hours in which two officers were wounded.
Both subjects were eventually shot and killed by officers during the shootout. A live pipebomb was later found inside of the van the two had abandoned before entering the store.
It is believed the subjects were part of a radical religious movement, held anti-Jewish and anti-law enforcement views, and specifically targeted the kosher grocery store in an act of religious terrorism.
Detective Seals had served with the Jersey City Police Department for 13 years and had served in law enforcement for a total of 18 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-AB42CE27- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Seals gave the Jersey City Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jersey City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Seals.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Joseph Alan Seals is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Jersey City Police Department, 14 of 41 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 34.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Alan Seals's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Alan Seals Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Alan Seals is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph Alan Seals was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
40 officers from Jersey City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
