On the evening of July 19, 2021, Jermel R. Carter, a 38-year-old Black male from Trenton, New Jersey, was fatally shot. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on the first block of Ellsworth Avenue. City police were alerted to the gunfire by the ShotSpotter system and, upon arrival, discovered Carter with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was the second homicide in Trenton in a six-hour period, though authorities have not publicly linked the two killings.
Carter was remembered by his family as a man who deeply loved them, especially the time he spent with his children.
The investigation into Carter's murder is ongoing, and as of the most recent updates, no arrests have been made. Trenton's interim police director at the time, Steve Wilson, pledged to use all available resources to find those responsible and address the violence in the community. Carter had a history with law enforcement and was a former member of the Bloods street gang. He had previously survived a gang-related shooting in 2012 where he sustained critical injuries.
Born in Jamaica Queens, New York, on September 3, 1982, Carter relocated to Trenton with his family at a young age and was educated in the city's public school system. He worked as a laborer and warehouse worker. He was preceded in death by his father and is survived by his mother, children, and a granddaughter, as well as extended family and friends. His death has left a significant void in the lives of his loved ones as they continue to await justice.
