In the summer of 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the evening quiet in a Linden, New Jersey neighborhood, leaving a family and community to grapple with a sudden and violent loss. On Friday, August 6, 2021, police responded to the 1400 block of Union Street shortly after 6:30 p.m. to find Carlo Dauphin, a 35-year-old male resident of Linden, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Carlo, known affectionately as Junior to his family and close friends, was born on July 10, 1986, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and was raised in Linden. He was remembered for his way with words and his charismatic, free spirit. Having been educated at local schools and later studying at Union County College and a business school for real estate investments, he had worked as a manager at Taco Bell and for H&R Block.
His life was cut short in an act of violence that prompted an immediate and intensive investigation.
The Union County Prosecutor's Office and the Linden Police Department jointly announced an investigation into the homicide. The case was taken on by the Union County Homicide Task Force, with assistance from the Linden Police Department, the Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit. In the days following the shooting, law enforcement officials appealed to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of those responsible. Authorities urged anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward, offering the possibility of anonymity and a financial reward for tips that would lead to an indictment and conviction. As of the initial reports, no suspects had been identified, and no arrests had been made in connection with the shooting. The investigation into Carlo Dauphin's death remains ongoing.
