In the fall of 2014, a violent encounter in Franklin Township, New Jersey, led to the death of 17-year-old Joell N. Burton. On the evening of October 13, 2014, police responded to a 9-1-1 call at approximately 9:12 p.m. reporting a shooting victim in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens. Upon arrival, officers discovered Burton with a gunshot wound to his chest. Despite life-saving efforts by law enforcement and emergency medical personnel, he was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting quickly intertwined with another incident reported just minutes later. At 9:17 p.m., a second 9-1-1 call came in about a stabbing victim on Victor Street, a location in close proximity to the church. There, police found 19-year-old Dequan S. Rogers of Franklin Township, suffering from stab wounds to his upper torso and arm.
Authorities determined that the two events were connected, stemming from a physical altercation between Burton and Rogers.
According to the investigation, the two young men, who knew each other, had a confrontation between Fuller Street and Route 27. During this altercation, Burton allegedly stabbed Rogers. In response, Rogers, who was armed with a handgun, fired a single shot that struck Burton in the chest. After the shooting, Rogers fled to Victor Street, where he was subsequently found by the police.
Dequan S. Rogers was arrested in connection with the death of Joell Burton. He was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a handgun. After receiving medical treatment for his stab wounds, Rogers was held in the Somerset County Jail. In March 2015, a grand jury indicted Rogers on the murder charge. Authorities stated that the fatal incident was not a random act but an isolated event between the two individuals.
