A 20-year-old man wanted for a Jersey City murder was arrested in upstate New York, police announced.
According to police, on July 20, 2017, officers from the Massena Police Department in upstate New York arrested Keshawn Sparkman, 20, of Jersey City, on a warrant issued on July 13, 2017, by a Superior Court Judge in Hudson County.
The warrant charges Sparkman with the murder of Rasasim Foster, 28, of Jersey City on July 3, 2017, in violation of N.J.S. 2C:11-3, a first-degree crime.
Sparkman was also charged with Possession of a Firearm (shotgun) for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S. 2C:39-4, a second degree crime; and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (shotgun) in violation of N.J.S. 2C:39-5, a second degree crime. He is currently in custody at the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility awaiting extradition to Hudson County.
On July 3, at approximately 10:50 p.m., Jersey City Police Officers were dispatched to the area of 262 Clinton Avenue in Jersey City on a report of possible gunshots. Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive male victim on the ground at that location.
The victim, later identified as Foster, had apparent multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 11:05 p.m. The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death to be homicide.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s official website at http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/ . All information will be kept confidential.
The above charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).