Five women were hospitalized after two suspects on a moped drove past their car near 105 Wilkinson Avenue in Jersey City on Monday night and threw acid on them, according to NBC News and PIX11.

The substance used was believed to be sulfuric acid, News 12 New Jersey reported. Sulfuric acid burns skin on contact, and the damage worsens the longer it stays on the body. Officials have not yet publicly disclosed the extent of the victims' injuries.

This attack fits into a documented pattern of acid assaults that law enforcement and public health officials have tracked with growing concern in major cities. These attacks share common traits: they are deliberate and quick, lasting only seconds. From an investigation standpoint, they present a particular problem. Suspects using mopeds can flee faster than police can respond; the weapon—corrosive liquid—is readily available and largely unregulated; and there is almost no window to pursue them immediately after the attack. Moped-based acid attacks have been documented across multiple U.S. cities and internationally, with the United Kingdom experiencing enough incidents that law enforcement there pushed for stricter controls on acid sales and longer prison sentences for perpetrators.

As of June 16, Jersey City police have not named suspects or confirmed a motive. The investigation remains ongoing. Reporters have not yet established whether the attack targeted specific individuals or was opportunistic.

Investigators typically prioritize three immediate steps: obtaining surveillance footage from cameras along Wilkinson Avenue, identifying the moped through license plate or physical description, and tracing where the acid was purchased. Jersey City has invested substantially in public surveillance infrastructure across the city and directly faces Manhattan, making camera networks relatively dense. In cases like this, dense urban camera coverage often leads to suspect identification relatively quickly.

The specific hospital treating the victims and their medical prognosis have not been confirmed in available reporting. Chemical burns require immediate medical response—flushing with water, potential surgical removal of damaged tissue, and sometimes lengthy reconstructive surgery. Recovery can be both lengthy and expensive, placing victim support services as an important secondary concern after the immediate investigation.

No charges had been announced at the time of publication.