On the evening of May 11, 2023, Kofi Addo, a 57-year-old male of Ghanaian descent, was working his shift as a taxi driver, a job he held to supplement his income as a daytime bus driver. A hardworking immigrant who came to the United States in 2006, he was dedicated to providing for his family. Shortly before 10 p.m., he received a call for a fare in the area of Rose Street and Sydney Place in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, New Jersey.
Upon his arrival, he was met by three teenagers who had planned to rob him.
The encounter quickly turned tragic when one of the youths fired a gun, striking Addo. After being shot, his taxi crashed into a parked vehicle in the driveway of a residence on Sydney Place. Franklin Township Police responded to a 911 call reporting the shooting and found Addo suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel provided aid at the scene before he was rushed to a local trauma center, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the Franklin Township Police Department and the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, moved swiftly. Detectives determined that the motive was robbery and that the suspects fled the scene on foot immediately after the shooting. The following day, authorities located and arrested three male juveniles in connection with the homicide: a 14-year-old from Somerset, a 13-year-old from New Brunswick, and another 13-year-old from Somerset.
The three teenagers were charged with numerous offenses. The 14-year-old faced charges of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and weapons offenses. The 13-year-old from New Brunswick was charged with first-degree felony murder and first-degree robbery. The second 13-year-old, from Somerset, was charged with first-degree robbery. Due to their ages, they were prosecuted as juveniles. Ultimately, the 14-year-old was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The 13-year-old from New Brunswick received an 8-year sentence, and the other 13-year-old was sentenced to 4 years.
