In the fall of 2018, the life of 19-year-old Diquese Young, a promising male athlete from Camden, New Jersey, was tragically cut short. On the evening of October 14th, events unfolded inside a residence on the 2500 block of Baird Boulevard that would lead to his untimely death. Young, who was known for his dedication on the football field and track and had been crowned the 2018 homecoming king at Woodrow Wilson High School, was with two acquaintances, 19-year-old Nasir Mason and 20-year-old Morton Newman.
Initially, it was reported that Young had shot himself while playing a game of Russian roulette. According to this version of events, both Mason and Newman had taken a turn pulling the trigger of a revolver pointed at their own heads without the gun discharging. When it was Young's turn, however, the gun fired, inflicting a fatal wound to his head.
After the shooting, Newman and his brother transported Young to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, mistakenly believing it to be Cooper University Hospital. Emergency services were called, and Young was then rushed across the street to Cooper University Hospital. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries two days later, on October 16, 2018.
As the investigation progressed, the initial story of a self-inflicted gunshot during a game of Russian roulette began to unravel. Authorities announced a different and more complex sequence of events. It was later alleged that the revolver had jammed when it was Young's turn. Mason, claiming he could fix it, reportedly held the bottom of the gun while Newman held the hammer back. As Mason pulled the trigger, the hammer went forward, causing the revolver to discharge and strike Young in the head.
Following this revised account, the charges against Nasir Mason and Morton Newman were upgraded. Both men were charged with aggravated manslaughter. Mason also faced a charge related to being a certain person not to have a weapon. The two were taken into custody and held at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending further legal proceedings. The tragic incident was ultimately determined by an autopsy to be a homicide, caused by a single gunshot wound to the head.
