2018: Trenton’s homicides by the numbers

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting on the 300 block of Spring Street in Trenton.  Penny Ray - The Trentonian

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting on the 300 block of Spring Street in Trenton.
Penny Ray - The Trentonian

The capital city concluded 2018 with 21 homicides, which includes the death of 52-year-old Michael Anderson, who was shot on a Wayne Avenue porch during the early morning hours of June 7, 2017.

Mercer County prosecutors confirmed Anderson’s January 15th death will be counted as a 2018 statistic, even though he suffered the gunshot injuries seven months prior to dying.

Last year’s homicide toll also includes three vehicular deaths, as well as the death of an abandoned newborn and the death of Tahaij Wells, who was shot and killed by police during a shootout at an all-night arts festival this past summer.

According to the state police uniform crime reporting unit, vehicular homicides are considered manslaughter and are not reported as a homicide statistic. Justifiable homicides are not counted in state police murder statistics either.

Therefore, state police will likely report Trenton’s official 2018 homicide number as 15 or 16, possibly excluding a fatal beating at the psychiatric hospital, and certainly excluding the newborn whose cause of death was ruled the result of “neonatal abandonment following unattended birth” with a contributing cause of death listed as “maternal use of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.” Read more

Lack of Hope: Trenton teens discuss life in the city, researchers share ideas to change the culture

Cops guard the scene of Trenton’s first homicide of 2018.

Cops guard the scene of Trenton’s first homicide of 2018.

Imagine you’re a quiet five-year-old boy who just moved to the capital city from another state and the first time you go out to play in the park, grown men tell a group of kids to jump you.

Now imagine physical abuse at the hands of strangers continued for the next 12 years as you progressed through school.

After more than a decade of being jumped and beaten by peers, what would you do? Read more