Police: Shooting at back-to-school event in Trenton leaves 5 injured

<p>Authorities say four people were wounded and a child was struck by a dirt bike when gunfire broke out at a community event in Trenton.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 20, 2018, 10:19 AM

Updated 2,088 days ago

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A shooting at a back-to-school event in New Jersey’s capital city left five people injured.
Trenton police say that they are working to arrest at least two men who opened fire near the school supply giveaway event near the Cooper Pool on the 300 block of Union Street Saturday evening.
Trenton resident Charles Hendrix says that he has lived in the neighborhood for almost 10 years and is angry about the violence at the event for children.
“At the end, we said a prayer for everyone to get back home safely and as people were leaving – men, women and children, mostly women – grandmothers, as they were leaving, a bunch of guys started shooting,” Hendrix says.
Police say that the shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. when the shooters rode into the area on dirt bikes and began shooting.
“One lady got shot and came down there and collapsed in front of me,” says Hendrix.
Police say that four people were shot during the assault. They say that a 7-year-old boy was also hurt when one of the gunmen took off down the street and struck the boy with the dirt bike.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora visited that boy Monday.
“He seems to be doing better but he’s going to need a lot of emotional support. It’s just a shame,” the mayor says.
This is the second shooting at a public event in Trenton this summer. Over 20 people were injured when gunfire broke out at the Art All Night festival. A police officer shot and killed one of the suspects.
“We’re going to try to step up law enforcement. We have to deal with new realities and unfortunately a lot of the guns that end up on the streets in Trenton come from other states with lax gun laws,” Gusciora says.
The school supply giveaway event had been rejected when organizers filed for a last-minute permit from the city. But Trenton police officers attended the event anyway. Those officers left when the event ended, which was before the shooting.
Hendrix says that he moved a sign stating the park’s rules, including “permit required” to the front fence.
“Even if the cops come and see things going on, they should do what I did and if not, shut it down,” he says.
The four gunshot victims are listed in stable condition and are expected to recover.
Trenton police say that they believe the shooters were targeting a specific group of men who were standing on the street beside the park.
Anyone who may have any information about the shooting is urged to contact police.


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