In the early evening of May 22, 2019, tragedy struck in Trenton, New Jersey, with the death of 18-year-old Taquan Tae Ellerbe. The incident unfolded around 5:30 p.m. on Bellevue Avenue, where police responded to several 911 calls and a Shot Spotter activation indicating six rounds had been fired. Responding officers discovered Ellerbe behind a residence at 80 Bellevue Avenue, suffering from numerous gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
An investigation into the shooting was launched by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Trenton Police Department. Investigators determined that two individuals in a blue Buick Park Avenue with a temporary registration tag had driven down Bellevue Avenue. When Ellerbe exited a residence, the passenger of the Buick opened fire. After being shot, Ellerbe ran to the rear of 80 Bellevue Avenue, where he was found by emergency services. The suspects' vehicle, a blue Buick Park Avenue, was later found abandoned in Bessemer Alley. The car had a gunshot hole in the rear windshield, and shattered glass consistent with that found at the crime scene was present.
In November 2020, authorities announced the arrests of two Trenton men in connection with Ellerbe's murder. Bryant Coon, who was 20 at the time of his arrest, and an 18-year-old male were each charged with first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and first-degree conspiracy. The second suspect's name was withheld as he was a juvenile at the time of the killing, though the prosecutor's office intended to seek to have him tried as an adult. The investigation of the abandoned Buick led to the identification of the suspects. Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered paperwork belonging to the juvenile defendant and two cell phones. A search of one of the phones revealed numerous photos of Coon, as well as images of Coon and the juvenile defendant together, some of which depicted them with firearms. Coon was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force. The younger suspect was already detained on unrelated charges when he was served with the murder charges.
