Law enforcement investigate a murder in the 100 block of Walnut Avenue. January 20, 2016. (Penny Ray - Trentonian)
Just before police removed the body bag out of a home on Walnut Avenue, law enforcement officers noticed media personnel standing nearby and turned off the street lighting.
It was a gesture of compassion for the victim’s family, his friends and the deceased himself.
The man, whose identity is being withheld pending family notification, was shot and killed around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Walnut Avenue. At least eight crime scene evidence placards littered the street and sidewalk outside of the home from where the man was removed. But authorities have not said whether the shots were fired from inside or outside of the house.
Witnesses say they heard about eight gunshots, but police have not confirmed how many times the man was shot. Sources say he was struck at least once in the head.
As crime scene investigators placed the victim’s body onto a gurney and wheeled him to a coroner’s truck to be taken to the morgue, bystanders expressed their grief.
“No,” yelled an older man, who appeared as if he had seen too many young people die.
“Bae,” yelled a woman, as she walked away to call a loved one and tell them the horrible news.
And another woman yelled out, “Soon there won’t be anyone left.”
This is obviously a neighborhood that has experienced too many tragic deaths. In fact, the makeshift memorial for Tina Anderson, who died by vehicular homicide on Southard Street last year, rests a few hundred feet from where Wednesday’s murder took place. City rapper Unkle Lord, also known as Davae Dickson, was shot and killed in this neighborhood last September. And Shawntay Ross was murdered near the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Chambers Street earlier this month.
Wednesday’s untimely death marks the third murder to take place in the capital city this year.
Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406 or contact the Trenton Police confidential tip line at (609) 989-3663. Individuals may also call the Trenton Crime Stoppers tip line at (609) 278-8477. Those wishing to text a tip can send a message labeledTCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.