A beautiful spring evening tragically turned into a scene of unimaginable loss for the family of nine-year-old SeQuoya Bacon-Jones. On March 25, 2022, the fourth-grade female was enjoying the day, playing with her brother and friends in the courtyard of the Kingsbury Square apartments in Trenton, New Jersey. What began as an online feud between two women on Facebook spilled out into the real world, escalating into a physical altercation at the apartment complex.
The dispute intensified
when Isiah Roberts, the 19-year-old brother of one of the women, became involved in a separate altercation with another male in the courtyard. In a senseless act of violence, Roberts allegedly fired numerous shots. As chaos erupted and people scattered for safety, SeQuoya tried to run. She was struck by a single, stray bullet in her upper body. She was rushed to a local hospital and then transferred to another, but tragically succumbed to her injuries just before midnight.
In the days that followed, law enforcement launched an intensive investigation. With the help of community tips, authorities identified Isiah Roberts as the suspected shooter. A dramatic pursuit ensued when police located him. Roberts fled from his vehicle and led officers on a chase through a wooded area before attempting to escape by swimming across the Delaware River. He was ultimately apprehended by a dragnet of local and state police. Roberts was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and weapons offenses. A Mercer County grand jury later indicted him on seven counts, including first-degree murder. He is being held at the Mercer County Correction Center while awaiting trial.
