In the early hours of a December morning in Trenton, New Jersey, a life was tragically cut short. Michael S. DeGrasse Jr., a 25-year-old male, was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen on the side of the Championship Bar on Chambers Street. The discovery was made at approximately 1 a.m. on December 11, 2021. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, and DeGrasse was swiftly transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in an effort to save his life.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, he was pronounced dead a short time after his arrival at the hospital.
Known affectionately as 'DOC' to his friends and family, Michael was described as a humorous and goofy person who loved to make people smile. Born and raised in Trenton, he was a lifelong resident of the area and was educated in the Trenton Public School System. He had earned his GED and obtained several trade certifications over the years. His family remembered him as someone who loved hard and valued loyalty, often saying, 'I have a lot of love to give' and 'Love is loyalty and loyalty is limited.' He was a father and was cherished by his extensive family and a wide circle of friends.
The investigation into Michael Degrasse Jr.'s death led to an arrest months later. In March 2022, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office announced that Yancy Young, a 33-year-old man from Trenton, had been charged with murder and multiple weapon offenses in connection with the fatal shooting. At the time the charges were filed, Young was already incarcerated at the Mercer County Correction Center on an unrelated matter. The prosecutor's office filed a motion to detain Young pending his trial for the murder of Michael Degrasse Jr.
