In what can only be described as a tragic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, 56-year-old Robert Powell Jr., a Black male, was killed on the morning of May 10, 2017, in Trenton, New Jersey. Powell, a beloved family man with six children and a grandchild on the way, was simply walking home from a local store when he found himself caught in the middle of a violent shootout.
He was a man who loved to read and had been married to his wife, Antoinette, for thirty years.
The tragic events began to unfold when U.S. Marshals attempted to serve a warrant to Tyleeb Reese, a 35-year-old convicted sex offender, at his residence. Reese responded by opening fire on the officers from a second-story window. It was during this exchange of gunfire that Powell, an innocent bystander, was struck. Despite police efforts to move him to safety and render aid, a bullet to his back proved fatal. He was also hit in the ankle and hip.
The initial shooting evolved into a tense 35-hour standoff with Reese barricaded inside the home. The standoff concluded with Reese's surrender, which was reportedly facilitated by the involvement of his friends and family. Following his arrest, Tyleeb Reese was charged with a litany of offenses, including murder, five counts of attempted murder, and various weapons charges. Three Mercer County Sheriff's Officers also sustained injuries during the incident but were later released from the hospital. In the aftermath, the community was left to mourn the senseless loss of a man described by his cousin as a 'good guy' and a 'community man' who had a great outlook on life and a deep love for his family.
