In the late morning of March 12, 2018, Da’quan Montague, a 21-year-old male, was fatally shot in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The incident occurred just after 11 a.m. in the first block of North Delaware Avenue, near a business known as AC Linen. His death was later confirmed by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office to be the result of a gunshot wound and was recorded as the city's first homicide of that year.
In the wake of the shooting, those who knew Montague remembered him as a
kind, respectful, and helpful young man with a bright personality and a smile that could light up a room. He was actively seeking employment and had been in contact with mentors about job opportunities just before his death. Friends and family expressed deep grief, recalling him as a soft-spoken individual with a great deal of potential. He was remembered as someone who was always there for others and was trying to get his life on track.
The investigation into the shooting led by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and the Atlantic City Police Department resulted in the arrest of 30-year-old Howard Cassell of Atlantic City. Cassell was subsequently indicted on charges of reckless manslaughter and weapons offenses in connection with Montague's death. Another man, 23-year-old Tajai Hicks–Anderson, also from Atlantic City, was charged with third-degree aggravated assault related to the incident.
