On a cold February evening in Irvington, New Jersey, a place of routine chores became the scene of a sudden and brutal act of violence. Cantrell Lamont Wilkes, a 43-year-old Black man, was inside the Laundry Depot on Chancellor Avenue on the night of February 17, 2018, when his life was cut short. The time was approximately 7:15 p.m., a time when the hum of washing machines would have been a familiar sound. That ordinary evening was shattered when an armed individual, concealed by a mask, entered the laundromat and opened fire, striking Wilkes multiple times.
The chaos and terror that erupted in the wake of the gunfire left Wilkes with severe injuries. Emergency services were called, and he was quickly transported to University Hospital in Newark in a desperate attempt to save his life. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, the damage was too great. Cantrell Wilkes was pronounced dead at approximately 7:58 p.m., less than an hour after the attack.
The motive for this brazen shooting remains a mystery, leaving a community in shock and a family in mourning.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Essex County homicide detectives launched an investigation into the death of Cantrell Wilkes, who was also known to some in the community as 'Tariq'. Authorities appealed to the public for any information that might lead to the identity of the masked assailant who had fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Despite their continuing efforts and the passage of time, no arrests have been made in the case. The individual responsible for the death of Cantrell Wilkes remains at large, and the search for answers and for justice continues for his loved ones.
