Teen Charged In Killing Of 9-Year-Old NJ Girl: Prosecutor

MERCER COUNTY, NJ - Authorities have charged a 19-year-old Trenton teen in connection with the shooting death of 9-year-old Sequoya Bacon-Jones in the city, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said.

Isiah Roberts, 19, has been charged with murder, second-degree aggravated assault, possession of weapons and other offenses, Onofri announced during a Wednesday press conference.

According to authorities, Sequoya Bacon-Jones was playing in the Kingsbury Square courtyard around 7:30 p.m. last Friday when a dispute broke out between two women over Facebook, one of whom was Roberts' sister. An altercation also broke out between Roberts and another male in the courtyard and shots were fired, Onofri said. Sequoya Bacon-Jones was shot by a stray bullet.

When officers arrived, they found a large crowd outside in a low-rise courtyard and Sequoya Bacon-Jones suffering a single gunshot wound, Onofri said. She was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, and then to Robert Wood Johnson New Brunswick Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before midnight, Onofri said.

Roberts fled the scene in an Accura, Onofri said.

On Tuesday, authorities were able to locate the car and executed a traffic stop. Roberts then fled on foot towards the wooded area off Rt. 129, prompting police pursuit. Authorities captured Roberts as he was trying to swim across the Delaware River, Onofri said.

Onofri said Roberts was fleeing Trenton to avoid police.

Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, Col. Patrick J. Callahan, of New Jersey State Police, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and Trenton Police Director Steve Wilson joined Sequoya Bacon-Jones' mother Sacha Bacon-Jones and Onofri for the press conference.

"This is a tragedy. We shouldn't be here," Platkin said. "Sequoya was a 9-year-old and was doing what 9-year-olds do. She should not only be here, she should have things 9-year-olds have. She wanted to be a law enforcement officer. She could have had my job."

Platkin said the "tragedy" needs to serve as a wake-up call.

"The violence cannot continue and we cannot continue to have press conferences like this one," he said.

Sacha Bacon-Jones said her daughter, a fourth-grade student at Parker Elementary in Trenton, loved school. "She wanted to be in the STEM program, in cooking classes, cheerleading — my baby was supposed to be on top of the world, and now she can’t be," the mother said. "She came into this world fighting and she left the world fighting."

Gusciora said authorities fielded hundreds of calls from witnesses who helped law enforcement. “I want the people of Trenton to put down the guns, put down the violence and stop the bullying on social media which started this.”

"It's a sad and angry day in Trenton. How senseless and all too common this has become."

Police Director Steve Wilson appealed to residents to call 911 before such tragedies occur.

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